Naruto In Hell
by Scarecrow'sMainFan
Summary: The final battle with the Akatsuki ended the war, but killed Naruto and everyone he loved. By some cruel twist of fate, everyone but Naruto is sent to Hell. Now Naruto is on a mission to traverse the circles of the Inferno and save his friends.
1. Mortal Plane

The war with Akatsuki had not ended well. In the end, the constant battles that rampaged across the Elemental Nations started to take a heavy toll. Many of the Hidden Villages were out right destroy, including the Hidden Mist and Cloud. Finally, everything got down to Naruto, and the rest of the Konoha Eleven facing off against the revived Akatsuki. The rest of the shinobi were busy taking care of Akastuki's army of Zetsus. The fight was long and both side were taking heavy damage. The fight was made all the more complicated by the arrival of Sasuke and his crew. Finally the battle had pushed the Akatsuki back to their main fortress, the place where the Demon containment statue was held. However, things took a turn, when Orochimaru reared his head once more, taking over Sasuke's body at the height of the battle. It was only thanks to Naruto's latest and greatest Rasengan that he was finally able put Orochimaru, and Sasuke, down for good.

Eventually, Naruto found himself locked in combat Madara atop the Demon statue, both combatants dealing jutsu strong enough to make the earth tremble. But what came next was the move that changed everything. Madara channeled the power of the other eight demons (Killer Bee having been captured just prior to the final battle) and attempted to use his ultimate jutsu. At that moment, Naruto also attempted his ultimate technique. He combined the Rasengan composed of Demon Chakra, with the Rasengan formed of Elemental Chakra. When the two attacks struck each other, it was like all of reality rippled. Just when it seemed all hope was lost, Naruto pushed his jutsu through and struck Madara with all his power. The attack killed Madara, ending the war, and allowing peace to rein.

Only it didn't. Madara's power backlashed, destroying the containment statue. That same backlash contained some of Naruto's own demon chakra with it, which mixed with the other demonic chakra. This mix, combined with the destruction of the statue, caused a massive explosion. The demonic explosion was great and terrible. It killed everyone, on both sides. Konoha and its allies, the Akatsuki, everyone. But that was not all it did. With no bodies to return too, the demonic chakra immediately tried to retreat back to it's home: Hell. That much chakra all going back to hell at once, tore open a portal in space and time. The portal was so great, that it drew everything around it into it. Including the souls of the recently killed combatants. This is where we find Naruto now, about to be pulled into Hell.

Naruto couldn't believe his rotten luck. This was the fight that was supposed to end the war dammit! Naruto looked down at his body, which was glowing an ethereal blue, and then down at his real body, which rapidly disintegrated in the vacuum that he found himself in. Naruto tried with all his might to fight against the current, seeing the souls of many of his friends and in some cases, his enemies, doing the same. But like them, he found himself draw to it. The portal itself was terrifying, the sounds of tortured screams, and the smell of brimstone billowed forth in waves.

Just as Naruto was about to be drawn in, something happened. A white light surrounded him, comforting him. Then all at once, he vanished.

When Naruto came too, he was in a solid white room. The only other thing in said room was a woman of unnatural beauty. Naruto's personality drew to the forefront, and he said the first thing that came to mind:

"Hey Lady, do you know where the hell I am? And who are you for that matter? Where are my friends? What happened down there?

The woman giggled. "My you have a lot of questions don't you. To answer your questions: This is purgatory, the realm between Heaven and Hell. I am Kami." Naruto's eyes widened at that. He had just mouthed off to an all powerful deity! He quickly fell to his knees. The woman just smiled at him before continuing "There is no need for that Naruto. You of all people, have my deepest respect. As for your friends and what happened" here she frowned "that's why I called you here. Please stand" Naruto stood quickly.

"Naruto, when that statue was destroyed, I'm afraid that everyone it killed has been drawn into hell." "WHAT!" Naruto exclaimed "Now hold on. This is where you come in" Naruto stopped freaking out, listening with more attention then he had ever shown in life. "I have a choice for you Naruto, please think about it carefully." Naruto nodded "You can either go down into hell, by yourself, battling the forces of the damned to try and save your friends. Or you can stay here in paradise, getting everything you rightfully deserve." Kami wasn't at all surprised by how quickly the boy answered.

"I'll go. Paradise is nothing without my precious people!" Naruto said, with a fire in his eye.

Kami nodded. "Very well Naruto. But do not think I would send you in completely unarmed." From the blinding light, Kami drew forth a strange looking weapon. It looked like a normal Ninjato at first, with the exception of it being a heavenly white. But at the hilt, a chain was connected, which ended in a wicked looking Kama blade. "This will be one of two of your main weapons when traversing hell. The blade can channel unholy chakra, though it can channel my own holy chakra, if the need arises, to strengthen your attacks." Then she drew forth a glowing medallion, the Uzumaki symbol emblazoned in the center. " This amulet will channel holy chakra for long ranged attacks. I will grant you the knowledge of how to use these properly. And lastly" with a wave of her hand, Naruto's old cloths transformed into a set of solid white-silver armor (it looks like the Altair's armor from AC2) "this armor will help keep you safe. I will also be sending you a guide along the way. She won't be able to help you in combat, but she will provide information and guidance along your path."

Naruto nodded grimly, preparing himself for what was likely to be his greatest challenge. "How do I get to hell?" He asked. "And how do I rescue my friends?" That part concerned him most of all.

"Wait Naruto, patience is a virtue. That's where the amulet comes in. At times, it may seem necessary to send a soul to me. It could be one of your friends, or just a lost soul you feel warrants redemption. When that happens, hold this amulet out and it will cleanse them of their sins and send them to me." Then her face turned grim "On the other hand, if you feel the soul in question has not been punished enough, stab them with your Ninjato, and it will smite them with my fury. That is all Naruto, are you ready to begin your journey?" She asked, genuinely worried for the boys well being.

Naruto nodded. Sure he was frighted, but for his friends, he would literally take on hell itself. "I am Kami-sama."

Kami nodded and waved her hand again. This time a shimmering portal opened up, revealing the gates of hell. She then turned to Naruto and spoke in a serious voice "A word of caution young Naruto. Hell is a strange and cruel place, and it does not give up the souls it takes so easily. And those of exceptionally black hearts and strong wills can even find themselves thriving in hell. You may face a foe you faced in life, more powerful in hell then they ever were before. Hell is also a place of corruption. It can turn any gentle soul into an abomination. All I am saying is, be very careful. This place may try to turn you against yourself, or others against you for that matter" Naruto nodded, his face set in a mask of determination.

"Go forth Naruto, in my name. Save your friends, and smite all who dare oppose your quest." Kami spoke in a regal voice.

Naruto took a deep breath, gripped his Ninjato tight, and stepped through the portal into Hell.


	2. Limbo

**AN: Well, here it is folks. I hope it's worth the wait. It's a bit long (with over 10300 words), so enjoy! The reason it's so long? Well, for many reasons. Firstly, I still have some character and plot devices to set up. Also, outside of Greed or Heresy, Limbo is one of the longest levels in the game. And for that, I really wanted to take the time to really explore what it'd be like for Naruto to be in hell. I've seen a few other fics that mix Naruto and Dante, and while they are very good, they seem to fly through some of those circles pretty fast. So this chapter is a bit long, and I hope it's doesn't come off as a chore to read. Maybe future chapters won't be quite as long. Maybe they'll be longer. What do you guys think? Anyway, without further delay (hay that rhyme) it's time for **

-Naruto In Hell-

Naruto stumbled from the portal to find himself in a large circular room. The room itself was unremarkable, appearing to be made from stone, with unlit torches lining the wall. At the other end was a great door, sealed shut, with an engraving above it. In the darkness, Naruto couldn't make out what it said, so he began to make his way deeper into the room. When he was about halfway there, the torches sparked to life, giving light to the room. And when Naruto saw what was depicted on the walls, he would wish for darkness once more. On the walls, the ceiling, even the floor were carvings, _drawings! _But what they showed was enough to make Naruto ill.

Sins of every sort, from every age of man lay before Naruto, in all there horrifying depravity. Lustful whores in orgies of blood. Obese gluttons feasting on the flesh of their followers, while those beneath them lay emaciated and starved! Misers upon great mountains of gold, forsaking all others, and in the same instant, fools throwing it away for everything and nothing. The angry were next, their hatefulness clear as day, waring with one another, while beneath them, the slothful lay despondent. Across the opposite wall were the heretics, bound in chains of fire as they spewed their hateful lies to all who would listen; forsaking all that was good and just for something that was ugly and vile. Then came the violent, thrice divided. The warmongers bathed in the boiling blood of their victims. The suicides hung from thorny trees of their own making. And the blasphemers marched across blistering deserts, the wind rending skin from bone. Across the ceiling were the fraudulent, and all manner of horror wrought from the practice. The panders the falsifiers, corrupt politicians, false prophets, fortune tellers, thieves, and the like; twisted and tortured for their crimes. And on the floor was depicted the lowest of the low. The traitors to God and Brother and Country lay frozen in a lake, the Evil One, the ruler of this twisted realm above them, his face a crime against all that was good and just and holy.

All these images washed over Naruto, until he could not take it any longer. He charged forward blindly toward the doors, hoping to escape. He glanced upward and the writing, once unrecognizable, became clear:

_Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here!_

Naruto reached the door only to realize something. While he initially thought himself alone in this place, he found that to be untrue. Standing beside the door was a specter. At least Naruto assumed that was what it was. It was clearly not a human, but it lacked the holy feeling Kami had practically radiated.

_"Ah Naruto, there you are. Are you ready to make your descent?" _The spirit asked. Now that Naruto got a look at it, he saw that it was a woman. She was taller then him, with hair that went down her back. It was hard to tell what color her hair might have been, since her body was composed of a bizarre violet light. Towards the top of her head it was mostly light, almost blue. But as it went down to about her chest, which was surprisingly modest in size, it became a more rich purple. From there it darkened, until it reached her knees. From there it seemed to become a reddish haze, and her feet it became a red that, to Naruto, seemed very familiar.

"Kyubi?" Naruto asked hesitantly, backing up slowly. He supposed it made sense. With his death the Kyubi would have died too. And Naruto had no doubt that it's black soul should have been dragged straight to hell where it belonged. Had it crawled out so quickly because it knew he would be here so it could kill him?

The now identified Kyubi grinned, nine tails emerging from her backside to flow around her. The tails also seemed to posses the same color pattern as the rest of her; blue at the top, red at the base, purple in-between.

_"Yes Naruto, it's me. Oh put your sword away, you won't need it yet. You see Naruto, you are my chance at redemption. Kami pulled me from the abyss to which I was sent, and offered me a second chance. If I can put my hatred of you behind me, and guide you successfully through the nine circles of hell, I will win my freedom; and a ticket back to my own home. A place far from human kind. So worry not, I won't kill you. As I see it, all you did was use my power. You didn't seal me into you, and you didn't try to kill me. Even if you did try to suppress me later on, I can't say I tried to make things better. So for now, let's call a truce. So I ask you again, are you ready? _

Frowning, Naruto nodded his head cautiously. Grinning at his answer Kyubi turned to the door, and waved her hand. In an instant, the doors shook themselves; a millennium of dust fluttering down to the floor, as they opened wide to reveal a nightmare. When they had been closed, the room had been silent. Opened, Naruto heard the sounds of the countless damned as they fell to their fate. Turning to Naruto, Kyubi gestured with her arm for him to go forward. Steeling himself, Naruto leapt through the gateway, and straight into hell. Behind him, the Kyubi's form turned to vapor and disappeared.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As he approached the ground, Naruto looked from side to side, wondering how was supposed to stop himself. In his head, a voice seemed to whisper, giving Naruto an idea, without ever using words. Taking the chain on his sword, Naruto swung the Kama attached at the end, and threw it at the wall. Instantly Naruto was jerked as his fall began to slow to a more expectable speed. Landing, Naruto looked at a rocky path before him. While unsure as to why Hell would have such a path, Naruto just shrugged and continued on; as was his way. Seeing a the path dropped away, to be picked up later at a distance, Naruto tried to wall walk there. This turned out to be a mistake, as what he thought was a wall turned out to be a seething mass of shades. His chakra faltered under them, and he lost his grip. His hand lashed out, and he caught himself, clinging to the wall for dear life. Since Chakra travel appeared to be out of the question, Naruto crawled down instead. Touching base, Naruto turned the corner to find Kyubi leaning against the wall.

Turning toward him, Kyubi spoke: _Into the blind world we have now descended. Put all fear and cowardice aside. We have come to the cliffs above Acheron. Wretched souls walk this tortured path, to board Charon's vessel. I will be your guide through this eternal place, and you will hear the shrieks and see the tormented spirits, for all bewail the second death. _

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the official tone Kyubi had taken. He understood most of what she'd said, but one thing did stick out to him. "Who or what is Charon?" Instead of answering, Kyubi pointed behind Naruto. Naruto turned, and and what he saw made him gape.

It was a boat. At least, Naruto assumed it was a boat. It was a massive thing, looking like it was made of rotting lumber. As it pulled into a port Naruto took brief note of the line of shades marching toward it. Then Naruto saw the Head. Not the prow, the Head. It was wrinkled, and seemed to be made of the same material as the rest of the boat. It's eyes glowed a sickly yellow.

But what made Naruto take a second look was the white mass that shaped itself around the Head, Charon Naruto corrected himself. The white thing was mostly on the head, wrapped around it like a second skull, forming a type of helmet. But it was also flowing across the deck of the ship. It didn't appear to be one thing, but more like a mass of sheets. In fact, if Naruto guessed, he'd say it was like thousands of sheets . . . of . . . paper . . . oh no. It could't be. Focusing chakra to his eyes, Naruto focused his vision on the skull. At the crown of the skull, a human figure stood, looking quite out of place amongst it's settings. It had blue hair, with a flower tucked in, and wore a cloak Naruto would not forget until the end of time.

It was Konan, the only woman of the Akatsuki. She'd survived the final battle until the end, only because she'd stayed so close to Pein the entire time. Shaking off his shock, Naruto noticed that Charon had turned it's head, and was speaking. The voice was deep, weighted by several centuries. But it was not alone. Mixed in was Konan, her female voice a sharp contrast to Charon's. The two spoke in unison, addressing the mass of shades.

_Through me the way to the City of Woe. Through me the way to everlasting pain. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here! _

Shivering at the tone, Naruto made his way forward, toward a hole in the ground. Before he made, Naruto stopped, sensing something. His feeling was correct, as the ground shifted and from the darkness emerged several armed figures. They were fiends, the most common denizens of hell. They were emaciated and mean, holding sharped pieces of metal like swords. With no preamble, they leapt foreword.

Quickly getting over the fact that he was being assaulted by the stuff of myths, Naruto unsheathed his sword. Moving foreword he sliced the first one across the face. It screamed in agony, before disintegrating into darkness. Turning, he swung the chain of his blade sending the Kama blade slicing through two more. The last jumped back in time to avoid his comrades fate. It then leapt forward and locked swords with Naruto screeching unintelligibly. Taking the medallion from from his pocket, Naruto channeled chakra into it. Instantly an ethereal Uzumaki swirl blasted out, striking the fiend with the strength of a Rasengan. It was quickly silenced, as it faded to nothingness. Sighing, Naruto was glad that hadn't been too difficult and quickly leapt down the hole.

Landing, Naruto saw a battered and rusted out door that looked like it could be taken out with a good strong punch. But before Naruto could enact his violent tendencies out on the door, Naruto heard an ominous growling noise. Turning his head, Naruto came face to face with a Guardian Demon. It stood on two legs, and wore a chain-mail kilt. Large horns curved from it's head, and it held a massive scimitar.

Roaring the demon charged him, and Naruto blasted it twice with his medallion. The blasts charred the top layer of it's skin, but mostly just seemed to piss it off. Swinging his Kama, Naruto took a hunk out of it's knee, then had to roll out of the way as it's sword dug into the door. Turning behind it, Naruto plunged his sword through it's back. Roaring in pain the demon twisted, taking Naruto with it. Clinging to it's back, Naruto channeled chakra through his blade. The demon stumbled, as the blade's power burned it from the inside. It's body took on the appearance of crusted lava, before finally bursting into red light, which was quickly absorbed by Naruto's sword.

Heaving a sigh, Naruto looked down at his Ninjato, which glowed a warm red. Deciding he'd work it out later, Naruto turned back to the door. One Chakra enhanced punch later, and he was through.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Stepping through, Naruto saw he was just above the port. Walking quickly, he was again met by the Kyubi, who was staring down at the line of souls marching to their doom. Turning to face him, she remarked "_You know, this isn't as bad as I thought. I just have to teleport from place to place, give out some pseudo-wisdom, let you do the work, then I'm done. _

Getting a tick on his forehead, Naruto growled out "So do you have any of your so called 'pseudo-wisdom' for me?"

Kyubi nodded, before taking on her 'serious face' _ "All souls that die, from every nation, collect here as one. Charon's ruff crossing awaits those that did not fear the lord" _ she said gesturing to the multitude of souls that were raining from the sky.

Naruto blinked "Okay, but who are these people, so overcome by pain?" he asked, surprising himself with the word choice.

_"Such are the sorry souls who lived with neither infamy nor praise. Heaven drives them out, and deep hell does not receive them; so that the wicked may not glory over them." _she answered.

Okay, but that just raised even more questions for Naruto, "What makes their bitter lament?" there was that bizarre way of speaking again. What was up with that. Maybe it was the relics Kami had given him, perhaps they were trying to make him smarter. Or at least sound smarter.

Kyubi frowned, she couldn't really answer Naruto's question, so she just decided to close off this line of questioning quickly _"Mercy and Justice disdain them! Let us not speak of them, Move On!" _before disappearing.

Blinking at the dismissal, Naruto turned and started walking again. Suddenly he stopped, was that sobbing he heard. He turned to head in that direction, when a wall of fire blocked his path, and one behind him. Suddenly several fiends popped up, along with another demon. And joining the party were a couple of flying insect demons.

Jumping over one of the fiends, Naruto fired off three blasts of his jewel. Most of the bugs dodged, but one did get hit. When it did it popped like a ballon. Naruto's surprise at the quick death of the bug almost got him dismembered by the demons sword. Sliding beneath the creature (taking care to shut his eyes to avoid seeing anything mind scarring) he turned and blasted it from behind, sending it flying. It landed on one of the fiends, as one of the bugs flew at him. Naruto caught it with his Kama blade and slammed it into the ground. Bringing it back, Naruto threw the Ninjato half and impaled another fiend, before hurling it through space, where it collided with the last bug demon. The bug popped and the fiend fell to it's death. The demon stood, the fiend beneath it turning to dust when the demon stepped on it's throat. Turning to face him, the demon snorted, and charged like a wild bull. Stepping to the side, Naruto watched as it collided with the wall of fire. Stumbling back, immolating, the beast cried out, beating itself trying to put out the flames. From there it was just a simple jump kick to the chest that sent it over the edge and into the abyss. With it gone, Naruto watched the flames die down. But now it seemed the sobbing was louder then ever

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto walked up to his destination: a large tower. Looking to his right, Naruto saw a long rope suspended over the water leading to behind the tower. But it was what was in front of the door that interested Naruto. It was a shade. A male shade, but a shade none the less. Realizing the shade was murmuring something Naruto listened _"I see no reason to execute this child. We should respect the Fourth's wishes." _Now that got Naruto interested. laying his hand on the shade, Naruto got it's attention. When it looked up at him, he recognized the face. It was Homura, the other male team member of the Third Hokage's genin team. He had also been one of the Third's advisors. _"Oh Naruto, forgive me my boy. I knew you were no demon, but I feared going against the council. If I had had more courage, maybe I could have helped you get a better life." _he said, before dissolving back into a sobbing mess.

Stepping back, Naruto was unsure what to do. _'chose'_ What? Naruto thought, looking for the voice. Then he realized that it was coming from within. Naruto's body moved of it's own accord, taking out both his Ninjato and his Medallion. Naruto got the message he had to chose what happened to Homura next. He could use the Ninjato to punish him, for being such a weak willed man. Or he could use the Medallion to absolve him, sending him to heaven. Thinking on, Naruto gave a mental sigh, he couldn't really be to mad at Homura, even if he had been weak. Leaning down, he grabbed Homura and hefted him to eye level. Raising his Medallion, he spoke, "Homura, you are forgiven. Kami absolves you of all sins. Be free." Naruto smiled at that last part, as Homura was surrounded by a heavenly light. Soon he was lifted from Naruto's hands, his body becoming what it once was. Homura's eyes cried tears of joy as he addressed Naruto one last time _"Peace be with you, Naruto Uzumaki" _ and then he disappeared.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Having made it quickly to the other side of the tower, Naruto found what he was looking for: a pole with a sturdy rope tied in it. His thought were interrupted again by Charon _"Woe to you oh wretched souls, do not hope to ever see paradise." _Okay, that was getting annoying. Hopping up, Naruto used his ninja training to run across the rope. When he was halfway there, the massive head of Charon and Konan turned to face him. Again in unison they spoke _"You there! Stand aside from those that are dead!"_ Naruto frowned. He hand't come this far to be ordered around by a giant head. Since this guy ferried the dead, maybe he'd be able to get some info from this guy. "Where are my friends?" He shouted back up at Charon. Surprisingly it was only Konan who answered, her voice no quieter alone _"They were foolish enough to throw their lot in with you, and now they are paying the price." _Naruto growled out, that wasn't what he wanted to hear. "Take me to them! My life, my soul for their return!" He cried out in earnest. Charon sighed, speaking by himself this time _"Fool, those belong to us already." _Feeling the rope shake, Naruto turned to watch in horror as a Guardian Demon cut the rope he was on. Plummeting, Naruto grabbed the rope and braced himself as he was slammed into the side of the boat. _"Now we depart. Now I carry you the final way, to everlasting darkness."_ Charon spoke, as Naruto crawled through an opening in the side of the hull. Resting, Naruto was able to catch a quick breather. It was great, until he heard sobbing again. Turning, Naruto walked deeper into Charon, wondering who else was in here that he would need to judge.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Climbing up through the bowls of the ship, Naruto came upon the shade of a man. This time though, he didn't recognize the face. He was tan, and had some scars about his arms, but no other distinguishing features. It wasn't until he spoke that it came to Naruto _"Please, Gods who rule the earth below, let me see my wife. Let me see Tsunami!" _Naruto's eyes widened, that was the name of the woman from wave. Suddenly it hit Naruto, as he remembered a picture with part of it torn out, and a story of the first hero of wave. This man was Kaiza! But what was he doing here? _"I did nothing wrong, I helped my people; why am I here?" _It seemed Kaiza shared his sentiments. Quickly Naruto raised his talisman to send this man homeward bound. In a blast of light, Kaiza was free. He looked at Naruto, and nodded his head in thanks. He looked to the heavens, seeing something Naruto could not _"Tsunami, so beautiful….." _and vanished.

Well, Naruto thought, that wasn't so bad. He could get used to that. Helping people had always been his thing. Before Naruto could get himself too intuit he role of "Savior of the Damned" he felt something wrap around his naval and jerk him upward through the ship's deck.

_"NARUTO UZUMAKI!" oh boy, something told him he was in trouble. _

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The tentacle dragged him upward, pulling him right to Charon's head, and dangled him in front of Konan. Her face was twisted in an angry frown. Getting a good look at her, Naruto saw that death had done her no favors. She seemed half-formed, paper sloshing off her form with each movement, only to crawl back upward when it hit the skull. He lower body was mostly gone, replaced entirely with paper that seemingly merged with Charon's skull at the base. "Konan, what happened to you?" The young ninja asked. This line of question only seemed to further aggravate Konan.

_"Thanks to you and your little fight with Madara, we all got sucked down to this terrible place. As we fell into the void, I used my jutsu to become paper and attach myself to Charon. Because of that, I avoided getting sucked into the void. But this place… it changes things. The dead can not use Chakra, something I found out when I tried to change back. My Chakra left me halfway through the transformation, leaving stuck here, merged to this vessel of the Damned. Now my only power comes from Charon, like a damn leech feeding off of blood. You did this to me Uzumaki! You killed me, and the man I loved! You say you came here to rescue your friends, well I aim to see that you never get the chance!" _she ended her tirade by hurling him to the other end of the ship's deck, a horde of fiends and demons appearing.

Since communication was out of the question, Naruto had no choice but to fight. She wanted to play the numbers game? Well he could too! "Kage bushin no jutsu!" Like that ten clones appeared on deck. Naruto frowned at that, he thought he'd put more chakra into it then that. None the less, his clones went quite enthusiastically to there work of slaying demons. Well, most of them. Two had been caught by paper spikes that had shot from the ground before they could flee. _"Die Uzumaki!" _Konan shouted, paper tentacles drifting around her.

To end this, Naruto knew he would have to take out Konan if he wanted to get off this boat alive. Sliding up to a fiend he blasted it into the air with his talisman. Following up, he leapt on top of a Guardian Demon and used it as a springboard (after taking care to impale the back of it's head with the Ninjato) and leapt through the air at Konan, sword held high!

Only to be swatted off the ship by one of the Paper-cles. A quick Shadow clone chain saved the day though and sent him back on his crash course with the irate female Akatsuki. This time though, he got smashed into the ground, but returned the blow by slicing the Paper-cle off with his blade. He fired off a blast of Holy Chakra, but Konan formed a shield of paper. The paper burst into flames, but more grew to replace it. Before Naruto knew it, he'd been wrapped up, as the ground beneath him turned to paper and sweep him up into a cocoon. It was so tight he couldn't even form any hand-signs. _"Oh No, Uzumaki, no more tricks, you die now!"_

But before she could make good on her threat, Naruto had maneuvered his Medallion just right, and fired off as strong a blast as he could manage given the circumstance. The blast tore through the paper and continued onward, straight into Konan's surprised face. Crying out, she dropped him, her Paper-cles swinging wildly in her pain. Holy Chakra danced like sparks across her form, destroying and withering paper wherever they touched. Finally one of the bigger sparks made it down to Charon's scalp, burning the ancient boatman's head. Grunting in pain, he turned his eyes upward _"Stupid girl, if you can't kill one pest, what good are you! Must I do everything myself!" _Konan paled, he face healing as the burnt paper fell away to revel fresh skin _"Charon-sama please! If you could give me just a little more chakra, I know I could-" "Enough!" _Charon interrupted, fed up with her _"I know what will finish the whelp off" _Suddenly the ship trembled, as over the side, a large Hell-Beast, easily the size of a small house lumbered on deck; the little Hell-Rider screeching unintelligibly. _"Just one? Charon-sama you don't know the boy like I do, maybe we should call some more just to be safe?" "No, if you cannot do with what you have before you, then I have no use for one so weak!" _So Konan set her face and sent her remaining Paper-cle after Naruto with renewed vigor.

Meanwhile Naruto was having a hell of a time (no pun intended) dodging the swings of this creatures arms. If he got in close enough to use his Ninjato, he had to worry about the stomping feet. If he backed up to use the Kama blades, the arms would fall like great pillars to smash him flat. And the one time he leapt back to fire off some Holy Chakra, the damn thing had breathed **fire** at him! The only good thing was that the creature was clearly stupid, only being just guided by the rider on top. That stupidity was useful to Naruto, as he was able to lead it to smash the new batch of hell-spawn that had cropped up recently.

Just when Naruto had devices a masterful strategy for defeating the beast (read, was going to fly by the seat of his pants, like always) Konan caught him, and slammed him into the side of the ships rails. Then the floor. Then the Hell-Beast's leg. Before sticking him to the ground before the giant monstrosity. With Paper needles stuck through his arms to stop them from moving, he knew Konan expected the Beast to waste him. That was when Naruto actually had an idea. Pushing a great deal of chakra into his legs, Naruto leapt back as far as his prison would allow. Not much, but it would do. Glaring up at the beast, Naruto channeled a bit of Holy Chakra into his medallion.

The Hell-Beast may not be smart, but it was well trained. It knew that Holy Chakra was bad news in a place like hell. It was trained to eradicate Holy Charka. And since the prey couldn't go anywhere….. Breathing deeply, the creature channeled a mass of Demon Chakra to it's lungs, igniting it's breath, and sending forth a gout of fire.

Seeing part one of his plan heading straight for him, Naruto glued himself to the floor of the deck, and spun like Neji's rotation. He ended up completely wrapped in the paper, even covering his head. The fire impacted the paper, just like he thought (ideally he could hear Konan scream in anguish) and burned him free. But he wasn't done yet. Grabbing the still burring mass of weakened paper, Naruto threw the fiery ball, wincing slightly. That fire had burned his back a bit, hopefully his healing factor would fix that. The firry ball flew just above the Hell-Beast, and struck it's rider full force. The thing died quickly, and left the beast to slum, it's commander gone. Getting an idea, Naruto grinned his trademark smile.

Scaling the beast was easy for one with ninja truing, and the controls were simple to figure out. With the Hell-Beast at his command, he set it straight for the Paper Mistress.

Konan was really starting to worry now. Most of the demons she'd called forth were dead, and others dying trying to stand before the Hell-Beast. Her papers had been mostly burnt away, leaving her with only what covered Charon's head and neck. And worst of all, the damn Uzumaki was walking straight at her atop _HER Hell-Beast! _She tried to launch a volley of paper needles at him, but the Hell-Beast just raised it's arms to stop the annoyance, and Uzumaki cut the rest down with his Sword. When the monster stepped on Charon's neck, she tried to impale it's legs and feet with spikes, but that just made it mad at her, something she was sure Uzumaki wanted. When she saw the Hell-Beast grip the sides of Charon's head and tug, she began to get an idea of what Uzumaki wanted, and it caused her to nearly have a melt-down.

Naruto and the beasts efforts were rewarded with a loud crack, as the wooden neck of Charon snapped under the pressure. Naruto looked up, Konan calling out to him, with panic in her eyes _"Please Uzumaki, before this I have never done you wrong! Please spare me-!"_ But Naruto was in no mood to listen. This woman had been apart of Akatsuki, and even if she hadn't wronged him personally, she'd been apart of the group that had killed all Naruto held dear. With a snap of the reigns Naruto had the Hell-Beast hurl Charon's disembodied head into the abyss.

Moments later the boat crashed into the shore. Hoping down from his ride as the boat began to sink, Naruto leapt to the tower, where he could see a then pathway, where there appeared to be a blue figure waiting for him.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Kyubi smirked at the winded Naruto. _"Well done with Charon kit, didn't think you had it in you. Take a moment to gather yourself, this was only the first trial of many." _

"Thanks" Naruto muttered. "So where am I now?" He asked looking at his surroundings. In the distance he could hear the sounds of a voice crying out, but it sounded cruel and mean. _"Beyond limbo is the fallen King Minos, judge of the damned. But for those who remain in limbo, the rest will be sentenced to the circles below."_ Naruto blinked at that. A judge of the dead? He guessed it made sense. "Well, who stays in Limbo then?" asked. Here Kyubi sighed _"Here suffer those who did not sin, but did not have the required portal of faith. There punishment, therefore, is the denial of paradise."_ Well that sucked in Naruto's opinion. He wondered "Has anyone ever been able to leave Limbo for Heaven? he asked curiously. Kyubi took on a thoughtful look, like she was remembering something from long ago _" I once saw the mighty goddess, crowned with light, take from here the shade of the Six Paths Sage, and his two children, the first Senju and Uchiha, and some others. But before them, no soul was ever saved." _Naruto nodded, filing that tidbit away for later. Now that he had his second wind, he could continue onward.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto wandered the halls of one of Limbo's many towers. After climbing down from his position by Kyubi, he'd found himself facing a large sealed door. Initially perplexed as to how he would open it, he was shocked and relieved when the answer _literally _came running at him. He'd nearly had a heart attack when one of the creepy fiends that was running at him suddenly burst with the force of an explosive note. But Naruto found that his Kama blade and chain could grab them from a distance safely, and chuck them at the door.

This lead to where he was now. Just walking around. He stopped at the sound of heavy breathing, cautiously he turned the corner, his Ninjato at the ready. What he saw surprised him.

It was Charon's head, still living, still **breathing **despite having no lungs. On his head, Konan was slumped over, her eyes glazed. Most of her paper was gone, and what was left was keeping her bound to Charon. Spotting him as he approached, Charon spoke, his lips moving eerily out of synch with his words, Konan joining in, though not consciously. _"Devine power made me, eternal I endure." _Well, that was just weird in Naruto's opinion. And they were blocking his path so… Using the Holy Chakra to bolster his muscles, Naruto (and about six shadow clones) pushed the giant head back through the hole in the wall. At the last minute, Konan and Charon seemed to become award of their surroundings, but by then it was too late. Their eyes widen as they slide backwards into the abyss _"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" _and just like that they were gone. The finality of what he'd done not yet fully weighing on him yet, Naruto continued onwards.

What he saw next … he was not prepared for.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The room was dark, with only a small fire on the opposite wall lighting the darkness. In fact, Naruto was a bit disappointed. For hell, he expected most of the rooms to be more like their gate. He was just about to exit through the adjacent door when he heard it. A cry. A **babies **cry. Turning his head slowly Naruto gazed at the fire. From it, what looked like an emaciated baby rolled out. But where the babies hands should be…. wickedly sharp blades were sported in their stead. It looked at him, and waddled toward him. Naruto backed away on reflex.

Only to discover that it wasn't alone. Soon more and more of the monster children were crawling from the darkness. Suddenly, like a call had been sent out, the started toward him, moving like monkeys and using their blades to propel themselves forward. Naruto felt himself reaching for his Ninjato when he stopped himself. No matter where he was, or what he might become, Naruto Uzumaki was **not **going to slice up babies with a sword. No. Not going to happen.

But it didn't look like the babies were going to give him much of a choice. That's when Naruto finally remembered his other weapon. Taking out the Holy Relic, he aimed it at the nearest baby. The light shined on it, and the others stopped and looked on curiously. Suddenly the poor child screamed as the light from the medallion blinded it, but at the same time, the purification cleansed it, and sent it onward in a flash of light. The other babies stared at the spot where their fellow baby had been moments ago, before continuing their charge like nothing had happened.

Suddenly the babies were surrounded by smoke, and the children stumbled into each other blindly. When the smoke cleared there stood eight Narutos completely surrounding the babies. Each pointed their medallion at the babies, and all at once the room was filled with the Holy light of eight Uzumaki swirls.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

When all the children had been moved on, the door had opened on its own. As he walked out, Naruto was deep in thought '_What are babies doing in hell? There's no way a baby warrants eternal damnation!' _He came out of his thoughts to see a Kyubi looking at him sternly _"The unblessed infants. Baptism they did not have, the one gate to the true faith was never shown to these newborn souls. Limbo shows no mercy for these babes." _Her gaze had become sad at that, before switching back to stern. _"You didn't kill any of them." _It was not a question, though Naruto wasn't sure why she looked so unhappy. "Of course not, I absolved them all. They don't need to be here, they should be in heaven happy!" But Kyubi just shook her head _"You won't be able to save all of them Naruto, you should get that through your thick skull. The sooner you except that, the easier it might make this." _Naruto grit his teeth, a fire burning behind his eyes "Slaughtering babies will make it easier? Maybe for **demon** like you **Kyubi**" Kyubi actually flinched at how he spat her name "But if that's the case, I never want that. They were guilty of no real crime, and to punish them like they were…. well…. then I really would deserve to be here." Kyubi sighed, running a hand though her long hair. _"Your a good kid Naruto." _she said. Naruto was so surprised by that comment that he almost didn't realize when Kyubi had faded away.

He was about to continue on his way, when he almost walked past another door hidden in the shadows. He opened it, and his eyes widened when he saw the floor covered with spinning blades. He was just about to back out when he heard the tell tale sound of weeping. He wondered how he could hear it over the noise of the blades, and looked down at his weapons, which seemed to be subtly pointing in the direction of the door at the opposite end of the room. Sighing and resigning himself to his roll as judge jury and (in case it came up) executioner.

Putting chakra in his legs he leapt over the blades to the other side of the room and quickly kicked the door down before the blades spun back at him. Walking through he saw that it was a balcony that overlooked the rest of limbo. Sitting at the edge was a shade that was smaller then the rest, but weeping no less profusely.

_"*Sniffle*Sniffle* He always treated sister so badly. I could have done something, but I did nothing. I hated him but I did nothing. Oh, Hinata-nee I miss you *sob*sob*" _

"Wait, you know Hinata-chan? How" Naruto asked, now really wondering who this girl was. When the girl turned to face him, her eyes, red from crying, widened. She looked a lot like Hinata, but much smaller. _"Your that boy sister was always stalking! Naruto Uzumaki!" _Sister? Hanabi! That's who this was! "It's okay now Hanabi, I'm here to help you" he said holding out his glowing medallion. "I'm going to go ahead and send you onward to Heaven now alright? I'll send your sister up too when I find her, and you two can talk about how you feel. I know for a fact she doesn't hate you" He told the young girl, his face giving his trademark fox smile. Hanabi sniffed, wiping her eyes_ "Thank you." _with that a divine white surrounded her, taking the girl who never should have been there where she belonged _"A divine light! Now I know why sister loved you so much Naruto-kun!" _With that said, Hanabi got a deep blush, and put her fingers in a way very similar to how her older sibling had done. Naruto just chuckled and scratched the back of his head as Hanabi disappeared. Well, that was nice. Then Naruto remembered "Crap, now I have to go back through the blades again."

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After making his way back, Naruto had wondered around a few more seemingly random halls, killed a few demons here and there, and now found himself in another room. This one, however, was very impressive. The walls were decorated with scenes of battle. Impressive tapestries immortalizing the heroes of history.

"Why?" Nauruto wondered. Why would a place like hell, a place of punishment, have a wall that idolized anyone? As if in answer to his question, Kyubi appeared. She too stared at the wall, her eyes seeming to stare at something far away. _"In this place reside pagan souls, and honored names, which resound in your life above. Though denied paradise, they dwell distinguished from the manner of the reset." _And before Naruto could ask any questions, she disappeared. Naruto guessed she was still mad about their talk earlier.

As Naruto walked up the steps he stopped briefly to admire the large statue of the Six Paths Sage. Bowing his head in respect, Naruto continued up the stairs.

But the stairs were old and surprisingly worn. When he stepped on one, it broke beneath him and he slipped. He put his hand to the railing to steady himself, but that also broke away, and fell to the ground with a large crash. Naruto's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, when he heard something. It was like a sharp intake of breath. Not the sobs he was used to hearing. Someone else was here. Using chakra to expand his senses Naruto realized that someone was hiding behind the statue. Readying his sword, Naruto leap behind it, sword ready. He stopped when he saw the figure. Their hands were raised in a familiar stance, and it took but an instant for his head to catch up. "HINATA?"

Yes, it was Hinata Hyuga. Recognizing him, Hinata's eyes widened. _"Na-Naruto? Is that really you?_" she asked, her eyes filled with hope. "Hinata, I can't believe it!" Naruto scooped the slightly smaller girl up in arms and hugged her tight; unaware of the massive blush he was causing. "Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" He said checking her over for injuries. When she was finished reassuring him, he asked "So what happened while I was gone?" And with that simple question, Hinata's smile vanished. She told him about how she and the others had fallen through the void. How some force she couldn't describe pulled her to the circle of Limbo. How see had watched as everybody but her and Rock Lee were dragged downward. And about how she had been hiding ever since.

"But wait, you said Bushy Brows was here in Limbo too, so where is he? He doesn't seem the type to just leave his friends…. " Naruto stopped as Hinata's eyes filled with tears. "Hinata…. what happened to Lee?"

Hinata took a deep breath, steadying herself. _"I don't know how long ago it really happened. Time moves differently here. Sometimes it moves so quickly, other times it slows to a crawl. Lee decided that __**he**__ would be the one to go and save everyone. But the only way out of Limbo is through King Minos. And when Lee tried…." _She stopped seeing Naruto's horrified look _"He didn't kill Lee"_ her eyes turned downcast _"but maybe that would have been kinder. He put some kind of spell on Lee. Now he is Minos' slave. That's why I was hiding. He has Lee scouring Limbo for any souls that may have hidden to escape judgement." _

Naruto was horrified, Bushy Brows evil? No not evil, enslaved. This Minos thought he could get away with controlling his friends? He had another thing coming! "Don't you worry about a thing Hinata! I'll snap him right out of it!" _"Naruto, are you sure? Lee has gotten much stronger now! He's not the same person he used to be. I…. I tried to stop him once. But with no chakra I couldn't use my Byakugan. And he was too fast to catch with anything I could throw at him. It was only because he was called back to Minos that I was spared." _Naruto nodded taking it in, then grinned reassuringly "Hey, this is me we're talking about Hinata-chan! Nothing can stop me when I get going! Besides, I can still use my Chakra, because Kami said I would need it." This statement of course lead to Naruto having to explain what had happened to him when the war with Akatsuki had gone totally pear-shaped. When he was done Hinata was wide eyed with amazement. Snapping her out of it he asked "Hinata, where is Minos?" Hinata pointed to the top of the stairs _"Through that door, and across the chasm would be the quickest way. Are you sure about this Naruto?" _He just nodded and hugged her good-bye. He offered to send her on to heaven, even mentioning the meeting he'd had with her sister. However, she opted to stay saying _"This way, if you really want to send me on, you'll have to come back from you're fight with Minos and Lee-san." _Naruto just nodded and gave her the patented 'good guy pose' before hurrying back up the stairs; leaving Hinata alone in a hall full of heros.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It had taken some work to get to the other side of the chasm, but eventually Naruto had found that by using the Kama blade he could latch onto overhanging stalagmites and swing his way across. Landing, Naruto had the chance to observe the realm of Minos up close. It wasn't particularly big, with what looked like lines of cages on either side. In each cage was a cowering soul, waiting to be judged. And for every soul sent to their fate, another three would be sent in.

And in the center of it all was King Minos. He was a great ugly beast that was for sure. He had no eyes, just skin where eyes _should _be. From the bottom down he looked like a great slug, or maybe an octopus, it was hard to tell. From the top, it looked like he was wearing some type of hat, or crown. Frankly it looked like an extension of his head really. His long bony arms always reaching for the next soul, bringing it to his face and (shudder) smelling them. It didn't matter how the souls begged or pleaded for mercy, for they would receive none. Minos seemed particularly happy about whatever the soul in his hand had done, grinning a smile that would have killed lesser men of fright.

_"Ah, suicide." _he said more to himself then anyone else. Naruto figured that after a millennium of solitude, he'd probably started talking to himself to try to stave off madness. The soul tried to plead, but all he got for his troubles was to be impaled on a large spiked wheel. With a flick of a tail, the wheel spun and sentenced the shade to it's fate in the realm of suicides.

Just as Minos was reaching for a new soul, he stopped. Turning his head his nonexistent eyes seemed to lock onto Naruto. _"Who comes into my House of Pain?" _what started off soft had ended in a roar. Minos' voice was harsh, like the sound of rocks grating together. Naruto hadn't had anything against Minos personally, the guy was just trying to do his job. If he could convince him to give up Lee and allow him passage to the next circle, they wouldn't have a problem. Making up his mind, he answered the judge "One who loves his precious people!" Please, release Rock Lee, and allow me passage to the lower circles. I have a mission from Kami herself!"

A shadow moved in the dark, and a figure stepped out. Naruto immediately recognized it as one Rock Lee. At least he was pretty sure it was Lee….

Lee's time in hell had not been as kind to him as it had been to Hinata. Maybe it was because he spent so much time in the company of a demon that his body began to take on those traits. His trademark green leotard seemed to have fused to his body. It had darkened to more closely resemble the same color as Minos' skin. He was taller now too, but his arms and legs seemed unnaturally long. His orange leg warmers had also become apart of him, becoming orange-ish scales on the ends of his legs. His eyes were wide, and Naruto noticed he never seemed to blink.

_"Gai-sensei it Naruto! Naruto, your flames of youth shine as brightly as ever! I always knew you were a noble person, you even came to be judged of your own accord!" _Lee shouted with his usual enthusiasm. But it was what he said that left Naruto confused "Judged? What are you talking about Bushy Brows? And that's not Gai-sensei that-

He was stopped when Minos slammed his hand down on the ground, making the whole room shake. He leaned down and sniffed Naruto. He could tell instantly that Naruto was pure of heart and soul. But he couldn't let the boy pass, _He_ had said to stop the boy before he could get to the lower circles. So instead he just sniffed out the remnants of the Kyubi's power that still clung to Naruto, and made his judgement off of that. _"I smell only a traitor. A glutton. Murderer." _He said leaning back (much as he could with his body size) and nodding.

Rock Lee stared horrified at his friend _"Naruto can this be true? Can your flames of youth have dampened so greatly since I saw you last?" _Naruto was actually quite offended by this bald-faced lie. "Sniff again!" he said, taking a step forward. Minos just looked down at him with an annoyed look expression on his face. _"How dare you presume to speak with the judge of the dead!" _ Rock Lee was equally upset by his friends behavior _"Yosh! I agree Naruto, this is most un-youthful of you. You should not speak to Gai-sensei this way. I am sorry Naruto, but Gai-sensei has found you guilty, and so it is my duty to see the sinful are punished!" _he called as he began to advance on Naruto.

Well shit. That was Naruto's thought as he quickly pieced together what was going on here. Minos had used some type of Genjutsu to make Lee think that he was his beloved sensei. That thought made Naruto sick, the idea that his friend was being taken advantage of in such a way. Now it looked like he'd be in for another fight. Oh well, he'd already taken out Charon, how much harder could Minos be?

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As it turned out, very. Naruto found himself dodging spikes that popped up from the ground, Minos smashing his fist trying to squash him and most frustrating of all, Lee moving at nigh-supersonic speeds trying to take him out.

Naruto had found though, that by attacking Minos underside, he'd cause the most pain. Since he was so big, he couldn't really get out of the way. Then again he didn't have too, because every time he attacked Minos, Lee would come with the speed of a bullet train to smash Naruto to dust. Naruto had tried to create clones to hold him off, but they never lasted longer then a few seconds. Lee had gotten much stronger and faster down here. It wasn't until he saw Minos use his own tongue to strangle a clone to death that he an idea.

While Minos and Lee were having a great deal of success in decimating the mass of clones that regenerated itself whenever the number dropped to low, they failed to notice that the real Naruto was missing. If Minos had been paying more attention to his surroundings, instead of using his tongue to impale hapless clones on his spiked wheel, he may have noticed a ripple in the air headed toward him. Under that ripple, Naruto, along with two clones, snuck up right next to his underbelly. They were using the simple academy jutsu "Cloak of Invisibility" to great effect. Iruka sensei would be so proud.

When they were in position, they discarded the cloak to conserve chakra and prepared their attack. Lee was the first to notice, see a Naruto holding two swirling spheres of death; one in each hand. _"Gai-sensei look out!" _he cried out to his pseudo-sensei. Minos looked down to see a brat charging him with some ball of light in his hands. Raising his fist he struck out, planning to smash Naruto to paste.

Now if he meant it to or not, the Medallion Naruto wore so proudly had been leaking out a steady stream of Holy Chakra ever since the battle started. This chakra was keeping the clones from popping from the first hit. It was allowing Naruto to move much faster then he should have been able to under his heavier garments. But most importantly it had mixed in with the Rasengan technique. This meant that when the attack went critical mass and exploded, two things happened. One: The explosion of holy energy was enough to throw a frantic, gates-open Lee backwards into a column which collapsed on top of him, knocking him out. Two, Minos found himself in a surprising amount of pain as his hand was vaporized by the Holy Sphere. And that was just one. Minos was in far too much pain to stop the second one from striking him in the abdomen. The force of the blast, mixed with the pain he felt, almost made him lose his grip and fall backwards into the abyss. Instead, he fell forward like a great tree, in too much pain to move.

Now came the final phase of Naruto's plan. Taking the tongue that lolled from Minos' mouth, Naruto and four clones began to drag him forward. Minos gave a half-hearted attempt to smash him, but Naruto was much to fast to be hit by such a slow attack. Finally he reached his destination: The Wheel. Stabbing the appendage with one of the jutting spikes Naruto reached for the lever to turn the gruesome device.

Lee had just uncovered himself from the wreckage to see a horrible sight. His beloved sensei was having his tongue nailed to the spiked wheel. Lee tried to move, tried to help, but he wasn't quick enough.

The wheel spun and Minos was pulled forward and, after a moment, had his face torn apart. His blood spilt in waves as he slumped over the very thing he had used to sentence his prisoners. Then, without him consciously holding on to the rock, he began to slip backwards into the abyss. Naruto sighed at a job well done. _"NOOOOOOOO! GAI-SENSEI!"_ Lee wasn't taking this well. He tried to throw himself over the edge to save his sensei, but a swarm of Naruto clones dog piled him and pinned him down. He sobbed and sobbed, until it finally happened. Like a fog lifting, Lee's mind began to clear. He realized that what he had been following had not been his sensei, but a horrid monster. Turning to the one who had saved him from a life of servitude he said _"Naruto…. thank you." _in perhaps the quietest he had ever been in his life.

Naruto just placed a hand on his shoulder, giving a nod to his clones, who dashed back the way he came. He still had one more thing to do before he could leave Limbo.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The Naruto clones had come back with Hinata in under five minutes. She and Lee also had a tearful reunion. Hinata because she was relieved that Lee was okay, and Lee because…. well…. he was getting back to being Lee. He already back to spouting about youth. Standing there in the center of the late King Minos' court, Naruto prepared to send his first two rescue victims to paradise.

_"Naruto" _Lee said turning to look at him _"I am so sorry, I did not know what I was doing."_ The heavenly light came down, and his body reverted back to what it had once been. _"Naruto, I hope you find the rest of our comrades, I truly regret not being able to come with you. May your fires of youth continue to explode!"_ he finished his teeth by giving his trademark toothy smile. Just before he vanished, Naruto could swear he saw a sunset and heard some crashing waves. The next instant it was gone, along with Lee, who vanished after giving one last call for 'youth' and 'Gai-sensei'.

Naruto then turned to Hinata, who was touching her forefingers together. Looking at him as her body started to devolve starting at the feet she moved toward him _"I knew you could do it Naruto. I always believed in you. I just wish I could help you more."_ Naruto just shook his head grinning "You can help me by cheering me on as I finish finding our friends!" he said, assuring the shy girl. Then Hinata took a deep breath, just as her chest dissolved into light _"I-I love you Naruto-kun!" _with that she ran foreword and kissed him full on the lips. Moments later she backed up, a smile not unlike Naruto's own on her face, her blush going at full tomato. She looked at Naruto's wide eyed expression _"I always have! And I always will!" _and with that she was gone, leaving Naruto alone in the darkening room.

Shaking his head, but keeping his blush, Naruto turned and began to make his way out of Limbo. And into the Circle of Lust.

**End Chapter 1**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura

**Kaiza

**Hanabi

**Lust:**

**Gluttony: **

**Greed: **

**Anger: **

**Heresy**

**Violence: **

**Fraud: **

**Treachery: **

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Kakuzu, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Pein, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Kiba, Shino, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Jiraiya, & Tsunade**

And so Naruto continues his descent into Hell. Next time: the circle of Lust. There are still so many to save, and so many dangers still to face.

**AN: **Well readers, if you read through all that (congratulations by the way) the above is a list of people who appear in hell in a meaningful way. This does not include the 'Lost Souls' that Naruto will find and judge. They will not all be absolved. I hope you enjoyed my story so far, even if it is a little wordy. Until Next Time…..


	3. Lust

**Well, here is chapter two everyone. I hope it was worth the wait. A quick note, this is the circle of Lust, so don't be surprised by anything that come off as slightly sexual. On a different side note, many of you reviewers have stated that you feel bad for Konan. If you continue to feel that way, I do know of a way in which she can be "Saved" after all, the last we saw, Naruto just pushed Charon's head back into the abyss (Hint*Hint). If you really want her saved, let me know. If she is absolved or not won't really have much of an effect on the story, if at all. ****For all of you added this story to your favorites list, or put this story on Alert, and to those of you who were kind enough to leave comments, I am very grateful. It's things like that that make me glad I post my stories in the first place.**** Anyway, enough of that, I doubt that's what you came here to read. So without further ado, I hope you all enjoy this chapter of ...  
**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto walked down the tunnel, taking note of the gradual decent it was making. He hadn't seen anyone sense he'd sent Hinata and Lee off in Limbo, not even the Kyubi. As he continued in the tunnel, he began to hear a noise. The noise sounded like the sound of tornado right outside your house, Naruto wondered what could make that type of noise. He soon found him self standing on a cliff, with no way to get down except some bony protrusions and what appeared to be hanging rope. While briefly curious as to why there would be ropes that allowed one to rather easily enter a lower circle, Naruto pushed it to the back of his mind and simple started scaling down the rocky surface. He may have thought it was suspicious, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

It wasn't until he was about halfway there that he encountered a real obstacle. A giant chain was blocking his path. Naruto looked up, and then down. The chain seemed to run forever in either direction. Was he supposed to destroy the chain? That seemed like the only way to continue. Sighing Naruto gripped the rope he was clinging to with one hand, and his Ninjato's chain with the other. He spun the sword until it became a blur, before throwing the sword part. The blade flew and impaled right through the center of one of the glowing links. Channeling a bit of demon charka trough the chain in his hand and trough the blade, he used it's corrosive properties to eat through the much larger chain in moments. Soon it broke, and fell down into the dark. Naruto wasn't sure, but he thought for a moment that he heard soul chilling laughter drift upward from the darkness. Naruto just hoped that he'd encounter no more chains, or what they must be attached to. After all chains were usually used to hold something…. right?

Swinging onto one last bone spire, he slid down the rest of the way, and landed in the Circle of Lust.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto hadn't been in Lust ten seconds when he heard a shuffling coming towards him. Naruto prepared himself, but needn't have bothered _"Honorable grandson, is that you?"_ Naruto raised an eyebrow at that, he only knew one person who'd been called "Honorable Grandson" and only one person who ever used that term. Stepping forward from the shadows has someone Naruto hadn't seen in a long time "Closet Perve? he asked. He squinted his eyes and looked sideways, trying to decided if this was who he thought. Ebisu had been killed before the final battle, protecting Konhamaru and his team from a revived Kakuzu. _"Living creature, be graceful, spare me" _ Naruto frowned at the language, but now he was sure. Ebisu, it's me Naruto. The shade squinted, _"Naruto? Is that really you? It is! Heavens be praised!" _Naruto just chuckled at the former teachers attitude. Raising his medallion, he stopped as Ebisu asked a question _"Naruto, I sensed a recent flux in the spiritual world, and the coming of many souls into Hell at the same time. Tell truthfully, was the honorable grandson amongst them?"_ It was clear in his voice how worried he was for his young charge, and Naruto was happy to lay his fears to rest. "Don't worry Ebisu-sensei, Konohamaru was anywhere near the battle field when it this all happened. Ebisu sighed in relief _"I suppose I should ask what happened in the world above, but I think perhaps that is a story for you tell me another time. Perhaps when your mission is complete."_ Naruto just nodded the affirmative and sent Ebisu on his way. Ebisu smiled as he was raised upward, but said something that would have Naruto scratching his head for a long time _"Thank you, Herald of Redemption" _what did that title mean?

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Stepping around the corner, Naruto got his first real glimpse of the second circle. The air was filled with purple clouds that flashed with lightning, and the air howled loud enough to shake the ground. But even over the sound of the winds was another sound. It was the sounds of moaning, but not of pain. It was of pleasure, of arousal. Throughout the storm he could see the forms of shades that were tossed about like flower petals caught in a whirlwind.

Turning a corner Naruto saw what might pass as a street. On either side of the path were statues of humans caught in the act of sexual bodies were twisted into positions Naruto was unaware the human body could make. Naruto started to walk down the path, taking note of the odd bronze plates embedded in the ground. But before he even got to the first statue, the ground shook with all the force of a class 4 earthquake. Naruto fell back on his ass, watching with wide eyes as the purple clouds were parted. Shooting up from the depths of Lust was a large…. tower? At least, Naruto sincerely hoped it was a tower.

And then Naruto heard the sounds of stomping and scraping, also coming up from the pit. It took Naruto a moment to work out that it was something** climbing** the embarrassingly phallic shaped tower. And when the figure appeared, she was truly a sight to behold.

She was a giant, even when compared to the tower, and certainly much larger then Naruto. What looked like a ragged purple skirt was around her waist, looking more like a kilt then anything. It was cut so short that Naruto was certain he could see her natural hair color. She wore no shirt, or bra for that matter; letting her breasts sway with her movements. He skin was pale, but not Orochimaru white, but in that same general color area, with a touch of purplish-gray. She had long following hair, that flowed down her back that stopped just above her ass. It was a blond, but it seemed dirty and unwashed. The whites of her eyes a bizarre violet, and her blue piercing eyes lacked pupils.

Wait. Blue eyes with no pupils? Naruto's own blue eyes widened as he realized who this might be. The giant woman smirked_"Looking for someone?"_ she called out in a voice like thunder. The voice clinched it for Naruto "Ino? Is that you?" he called out to the giant woman. The woman, Ino, just gave a humorless chuckle, and raised her hand to the sky. A bolt of lightning shot into the clouds. Soon, the clouds seemed to converge on one point, forming a funnel down over Ino. Just before it reached her, she opened her mouth and _roared_. The sound was like a dinosaur of ages past. Then she continued up the tower, the moaning clouds wrapping around it to form a powerful barrier.

Well, the barrier didn't look to difficult. At that moment Naruto's eyes tracked the form of a shade from the whirlwind being flung from it at speeds far beyond what the body could take, and smashing into one of the statues.

Naruto blinked. Okay, this may be harder then he first thought.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto made his way over to the statues, trying to form some clue as to how he was going to get through the wall of wind. Before he got to deep in thought, the Kyubi appeared before him. Kyubi just smirked down at him, _"What's the matter kit, got Lust on the mind? I gotta say, that Ino sure is a looker, so I guess I can't blame you."_ Kyubi chuckled at his indignant sputtering. _"Alright, enough of that, time to get serious."_ she said, putting on her 'serious face'. Naruto stopped his lip flapping and stood at attention. Kyubi smiled turned to a frown as she addressed the winds behind her. _"__The winds of lust smite these damned. No hope of less pain, no hope of rest ever comforts them."_ Naruto nodded, he'd sort of know that all ready. But how lustful did one have to be to spend all eternity in a tornado? "Who are these guys, who are caught in the storm?" _"To this torment are condemned the carnal damned. Those for whom desire conquered reason." _

Okay, Naruto thought, not exactly useful information, but he'd take it. Before she had a chance to leave, Naruto stopped her "Hey Kyubi, any ideas on how to get past that barrier?" he asked pointing at the major obstacle in his path. The Kyubi just tilted her head sideways, considering the problem. Then she smiled a smile that was unnatural on her face _"Easy, just pull the lever to send the lightning back at the wall, then run through the hole." _and with that she vanished. Naruto nodded, "Well, duh, of course just pull the lever, that makes a lot a…. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

And somewhere he knew the Kyubi was laughing at him.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It took a couple of tries, and a lot of dodging, but eventually Naruto had managed to blast open a hole in a wall that he could jump through. Taking a flying leap he leapt through and observed his new surroundings. The walls were decorated with carvings of people fornicating with each other, themselves, animals, and various objects. This particular room also had a lot of snakes in it. There were snake columns, snakes carved into the ground, an even a large Snake head right in front of him. The first thing that leapt to Naruto's mind…. creepy. Yeah, that pretty much summed it up in Naruto's head.

Before he could decide just how fucking creepy it was, he heard a moan. Turning his head he saw what could only be described as a vagina in the wall. And from that strangely placed orifice came Naruto's latest demon encounter. It was a woman, at least it looked like one. But the skin was yellow and waxy looking, and her fingers ended in claws. The eyes were black and stared at him with a strange intensity. She moaned again at the sight of him, thrusting her hips at him. When she did so, she seemed to split from the center of her cheats to her baby-maker. From that split emerged a nightmarish clawed arm, which swung through the air, reaching, grasping for something, before retreating back inside.

Naruto blinked once, twice, three times, and still had a hard time understanding what he'd just seen. Thankfully the need for deep contemplation on the libido of demonic temptresses was put off as the demoness suddenly launched herself at him. And not in the good, let's do it way. Though in this case, Naruto thought, they may be just as well.

He parried her claw thrust and used his superior strength to throw her back. She landed on her feet and leaned back as her "inner claw" shot out at him. It grabbed his Ninjato and pulled him toward her. He took his Holy talisman and slammed it into the claw, burning away the tentacle it was attached to. The Temptress screamed in pain and doubled over as the burnt remains shot back insider her. Spinning his Kama and chain like a lasso, Naruto threw it, where it wrapped around her head. The Kama point buried itself in her forehead, and Naruto spun around, taking her with him. With a mighty heave, she was thrown back out into the tornado barrier. She actually made it a fair distance before the wind sweep her away.

_"Well, personally, I give that a seven out of ten for distance and form"_ Kyubi said popping up right behind Naruto, throughly surprising him. Naruto jumped back, clutching his chest. "Would you not do that!" he said annoyed. "This place is filled with demons, I don't need you trying to spook me too!" He said pointing an accusing finger. He frowned "And speaking of demons, how come every time you show up, you go out of your way to say something poetic or non-sensical, but you never really say anything important?" Kyubi huffed _"I told you how to get through the vortex"_ she pointed out "But not about the evil sex demons on the other side? How did that slip your mind?" Kyubi frowned at Naruto _"This is your journey kit, not mine, I can't be expected to hold your hand the whole time." _Naruto, sighed "Fine, but I hope you're here to tell me something relevant this time." Kyubi smirked _"To this circle was sentenced your precious 'Jiraiya The Gallant'. His passion ruled him and his work."_ Naruto's face paled "No, it can't be. Pervy Sage was a great man! He was to good to be sent here!" Naruto clenched his hands so hard, Kyubi wondered if he might bleed himself _"He was so given to lechery that he peeped on bathhouses in every nation, in every corner of the world. And if ever asked, he'd claim it all for research, in a vain effort to erase the blame cast against him. Worse still, he wrote those books, with which he filled others with the lust for which all these shades are punished!"_ Naruto just shook his head frantically, holding Kami's talisman in his hand "That doesn't matter, I will find Pervy Sage, I can purify him of any sin against him! He may have been a mega pervert, but that doesn't make the good he did any less real." He looked at Kyubi, who merely shrugged _"Don't look at me, I don't care if you save him or not. Like I said kit, this is your quest."_ and with that, she vanished.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After the Kyubi had left, and Naruto had calmed himself down, he set himself to his next task: Getting out of this room. It looked like he'd have to turn a crank. Rolling his eyes, he summoned a clone and sent it to work. It turned the crank, and Naruto saw that it caused the snake head in front of him to start to open it's mouth. It didn't get far thought, because before it opened wider then six inches, it stopped. Naruto frowned, noticing two "fangs" that held the mouth closed. "Why would they lock it like that?" he wondered. Was it supposed to make it more of a challenge? He just took his Ninjato out and told his clone to try again. When he saw the fangs, he lashed out, smashing them both with one well placed strike. Nodding, his clone kept turning the crank. Naruto looked around, was it just him, or were all the snakes in the room looking at him? He could also swear he heard a faint hissing sound. Naruto shuddered, over the years, he'd come to hate snakes. And the fact that the scaly reptiles were the rooms chosen decor was setting him on edge. "Why snakes? Why is it no matter where I go, snakes are involved." He stopped in monologue about the evils of snakes when he heard it.

_"Ku ku ku ku ku… "_

Naruto whipped around, no it couldn't be…. not here, not now…

The snake head opened all the way, revealing a snake like figure that uncoiled itself to face Naruto. _"Freedom at last…. " _Naruto stepped back "Or-Orochimaru?"

It was true, the Snake Sannin was right their, looking every bit the evil fucker he had been in life. _"Well, well, if it isn't the Kyubi brat. Odd seeing you in a place like this."_ Naruto just shook his head, "What are you doing here?" he half asked, half shouted. Orochimaru just gave him one of his condescending smirks _"__I'm dead remember? But, I assume you mean, what am I doing in this circle. I didn't start off here. They tried to put me on the lowest circle. The one reserved for traitors of the worst kind. Luckily they weren't prepared to contain someone like me, and I escaped. Slowly but surely I made my way up to this circle. But they headed me off, and they managed to trap me here, beneath that stone snake. Apparently they're very big on irony down here. And so they left me to stew in my own "Lust for Power" But now I am free."_ he finished _"But now let me ask you a question. I know for a fact that Minos guards the border of Limbo and Lust, so how did you manage to sneak past him?" _he asked in genuine curiosity. Naruto just straightened up, "I didn't, I killed him. He-" Orochimaru cut him off, his smile widening _"Excellent, with him out of the way, nothing can stop me from making my way back up to the surface, and the world of the living." _that said, he immediately tried to dash past Naruto, only to find the little brat blocking his path, holding a sword with a Kama attached out in front of him "I can't let you do that Orochimaru-teme." Orochimaru just frowned. He'd been in that snake for a long time, and he wasn't really up to full power. He was hoping to avoid any high level fights for the time being. _"Oh, don't you start brat. You freed me so I'm willing to spare you, but if you think you can stop me, I might be inclined to remember that it was your interference that resulted in my death."_

But Naruto would not be swayed. He'd seen what this monster had done in one lifetime, he wasn't willing to give him a second shot "And if I don't interfere now, and let you get your life back, I have no doubt that many more will die because of you." he said firmly. Orochimaru's frown deepened, and he summoned his Kusanagi, taking an offensive stance. _"Even in death you continue to be a thorn in my side. But no one is here to help you this time boy. I can't even sense the Kyubi in you anymore. So this time, brat, I will crush you!"_ and with that, he charged at Naruto, and the battle began….

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto just managed to bring his Ninjato up in time to block the much longer Kusanagi. Being made my the hands of Kami, the blade didn't immediately shatter like Orochimaru had expected it too. He used his strength to push Naruto back, trying to overpower him. _"You may possess an interesting sword boy, but that alone won't help you."_ Naruto just smirked, the look of a prankster who's master piece is going to be set off on his face. "I know that orochi-teme," he said slipping his hand into his pocket "but if you think I'm the same brat you used to know, well…. " he found what he was looking for and grasped it tightly "LOOK AGAIN!" he shouted, raising Kami's amulet to face level, and channeling as much chakra as he could in a spur of the moment.

The amulet lit up like a solar flare, sending white light dancing across the walls of the room. Orochimaru screamed in pain as he leapt back. Both hands flew to his eyes, dropping his legendary sword. The top layer of his skin had been fried, turning his milk white complexion to charcoal. Orochimaru futilely tried to rub the darkness from his eyes, which had gained the consistency of boiled egg after the blast. But even this wouldn't keep Orochimaru down. The hundreds of experiments he'd done on himself in life, had carried over in death. Already the burnt skin was falling away, like a snake shedding it's skin, to reveal fresh pasty flesh underneath.

Realizing this, Naruto leapt forward, this time pumping chakra into his Ninjato, and sliced at Orochimaru's midsection. The glowing blade passed through Orochimaru's stomach like a hot knife through butter, the bottom half falling away, even as Orochimaru backpedaled away on his hands. Naruto watched as the Snakes hips, legs, and feet burned to ash. He turned to Orochimaru, and saw a fresh set of Snake-like eyes glaring at him. He took a step forward but stopped as Orochimaru's body suddenly rippled, and from the bottom of his body burst a new appendage. It was as white as his body, but just as scaled as anything the man had summoned in life. sitting up, Orochimaru suddenly slithered, yes slithered backwards on his new body part. From a distance, it was plain to see what it was, Orochimaru was now half-man, half-snake.

Great Naruto thought to himself, running forward. He swung his sword and kama with all his skill, but somehow Orochimaru kept dodging. The two leapt back, Naruto swinging his Kama chain until it became a blur. Orochimaru just raised a hand, and pointed at Naruto. Naruto was confused, until he remembered the Kusanagi. Turning, he Naruto had to bend his back at almost a 90 degree angle to avoid being skewered. as the handle past overhead, Naruto looped his chain around it. As the sword pulled the chain, Naruto tugged hard in the opposite direction, snapping the sword off course. Now flying the same way the chain was, this put the Kusanagi on a collision course with it's new target. Orochimaru's arm. Before the snake man could even react, his own blade had severed one of his arms. Orochimaru screamed in pain, but noticed that it didn't bleed. A moment later, the same bubbling as before started to happen, and soon, Orochimaru had a new arm. It was as white as his tail, and covered in a multitude of scales. Suddenly, the fingers on the hand linked together, and Orochimaru's hand opened a set of eyes that hadn't been there before. When the hand opened, it sported a set of fangs, and let loose an echoing hiss. Orochimaru looked at his new snake arm, then back at Naruto with a look that just screamed 'Your fucking dead.'

Orochimaru punched with his new arm, the snake shooting forward like a missile, it's mouth closed. Naruto couldn't do anything as it slammed into him like a truck, slamming him into, and through, the wall. This was the same wall that had housed the snake Orochimaru was imprisoned in. Naruto struck the wall so hard, he'd gone through it. Landing, Naruto was now in a large circular room. Looking up, Naruto saw a ceiling, and looking left, he saw a lever. Before he could take in the sights anymore, the snake-efied monster that was Orochimaru slithered through the hole. Inside Naruto's head, he heard a bell go off and knew that round two was on!

Naruto leap over the snake arm that was sent his way, allowing it to slam into the wall. Orochimaru slashed his arm sideways in an attempt to clothesline him, but Naruto managed to backflip over it. As it past under him, Naruto stabbed it with is sword. He was rewarded with a grunt of pain, and a burst of black ichor. As Orochimaru moved his arm, it slammed into the lever, activating it. Above them the ceiling folded away, as wind from the storm outside funneled beneath them. The effect was instant, as the platform they were on moved upward rapidly.

Looking outward as he parried the Kusanagi with his Ninjato, Naruto was surprised to see Ino glaring back at him. Apparently they had actually caught up to her. Ino continued to glare at him, before voicing her newfound dislike of her fellow blond _"You men are all the same. You beg for our bodies like babies, but you proclaim we are the inferior gender? _Naruto tuned her out for a moment to roundhouse Orochimaru in the face. Or tried to any way. Orochimaru escaped by bending his spine at a 270 degree angle. Then he snapped himself forward and slammed his face into Naruto's abdomen, sending him flying across the platform. Naruto fired off a few holy blasts, but Orochimaru slithered and slunk his way around them.

_"Down here though, I am Queen!" _Ino continued, hardly acknowledging that she was being ignored. _"I could rule an empire with the shades I've enslaved with my body!" _By then, Orochimaru had opened his mouth and belched forth a horde of snakes, so Naruto had to tune her out again in the interest of sending a swath of burning Uzumaki symbols blasting their way through the snakes. One of them actually struck the left half of Orochimaru's face. Which promptly grew back, with a noticeable lack of nostril, ear, or hair of any kind on that side of his face. Roaring, or rather, hissing, out a challenge, Orochimaru attacked with renewed vigor.

_"Give in to your lust! Stay here Naruto, and suffer with us!" _Ino called out, before noticing that neither of the two warriors were giving her any mind at all. And if their was one thing Ino Yamanaka hated, it was being ignored.

_"Victory will be mine!" _Orochimaru shouted, trying to bring his Kusanagi down on Naruto, who blocked with his own sword. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he hit the deck. Orochimaru only had a split second to look behind him before he did the same. At that moment, Ino sent her arm straight through the tower. She caught hold of the platform, and sent it to a screeching halt. _"Stop ignoring me Kami dammit!" _she yelled. Orochimaru grimaced _"Begone foolish child. This does not concern you." _he said, in an attempt to dismiss the girl. This turned out to be the absolute worst thing to do.

Ino glared down at Orochimaru _"I think not Orochi-kun. Who told you you could leave your cage?"_ she said, her voice suddenly taking on a frightening sweetness. _"You've been a very naughty boy Orochi…. I think it's time I punished you. But don't worry, if you're a good boy, maybe I'll let you help me kill Naruto later." _she said with a strange finality. Like a king that had just handed down an edict. Orochimaru just raised an eyebrow _"Oh, and you think you have the power to stop me, girl?" _The look on Ino's face didn't exactly set him at ease.

Ino just shook her head _"I know I can. Orders from below. No one is allowed to leave hell, not even you Orochimaru." _she said with the tone one might use on a misbehaving child. _"Black as your heart and soul are, I don't see how you thought that the powers that be would ever let you get away." _Suddenly, her smile turned absolutely evil. _"But now, I think it's time for a little…. re-education" _she finished licking her lips. Before either Naruto or Orochimaru could contemplate what that might entail, Ino lashed out with a speed that seemed unnatural for her new size. She grabbed Orochimaru be his new serpentine tail, and placed it in her mouth. _"What the hell do you think you're doing!" _Orochimaru shouted, more in surprise then in fear. Ino didn't respond, instead, she began to suck in rapidly, drawing the unfortunate Snake Sannin into her. Realizing what exactly was happening, Orochimaru thrashed with all his might. It did him no good. He lashed out with his Kusanagi, Ino just batted it away with her free hand. He even tried summoning a horde of snakes at her. But Ino just raised her hand and called forth a slew of lightning bolts. The bolts fried the snakes and traveled down the length of their bodies, and shocked Orochimaru. This stunned him long enough for Ino to mostly finish her grisly work. Soon only the traitors head was free, still crying out defiantly _"No! NO! You can't do this to me, it's impossi-" _and then Ino cut him off, slamming her lips together. Her cheeks bulged awkwardly for a moment, before, with a mighty heave, she swallowed. The sound echoed in the now dead silent room. Ino looked down at Naruto, who was now turning a rather violent shade of green. Ino just smirks and wipes her mouth, before placing her hand on her stomach, the sounds of her recent meal settling pleasing to her ears. Suddenly, a rumble comes from within, Ino opened her mouth wide and released a thunderous bleach; clearly satisfied with her giggles to herself, looking down on a disgusted Naruto, who proceeds to lose his lunch at such a display.

_'that was the single grossest thing I have ever seen' _Naruto thought to himself, before somehow managing to compose himself.

Ino looked down at Naruto, tapping her cheek with her fingers _"Now what to do about you…. Oh!" _With a wave of her hand, two of the columns shift, revealing snake heads. The eyes glow for an instant, before spewing fire across the arena. Ino laughs to herself as she watches Naruto scamper away from the flames. _"This should help keep you occupied" _Naruto thought she meant the flames, but looking at her he could see that wasn't what she had in mind. Suddenly, Ino's nipples started to move, before opening like great mouths. From them, a horde of Unblessed Children crawled out and made their wavy across the ivory skin of her bare breasts. Scooping the children up with her free hand, Ino tossed them onto the platform with Naruto, where they immediately made a bee-line for our hero.

Trying to find away out of his sticky situation, Naruto saw that beside each snake was a lever. Naruto also noticed that the snakes had stopped spewing fire. Getting an idea, he summoned two shadow clones, and sent them to deal with the levers. He stayed behind, sheathing his sword and taking out his medallion. He had meant what he'd said to Kyubi, and had no intention of hurting these babies.

The two clones made their way over to the ledges, using chakra to enhance their leaps. They leapt over the horde of baby demons, deciding to let their creator handle that mess. Soon, the two separated, and arrived at their destinations. Looking at each other, they nodded their heads and pulled their respective levers.

_"Even you can't resist me and your lust forever Naruto". _Ino was so engrossed in trying to overwhelm Naruto with the unblessed, that she hadn't even noticed the two clones. Needless to say, she was quite surprised when the two stone snake heads turned to face her. Her eyes locked onto the clones in an instant, but by then it was too late. The snakes eyes glowed red an instant before their fanged mouths belched out gouts of flames.

Naruto had just finished absolving the children, when he was treated to the sight of Ino's chest being roasted. Ino screamed in pain, lashing out and destroying one of the snakes. _"Damn You! You ruin everything!" _Now that sentence struck Naruto "What are you talking about Ino?" he asked, honestly confused. Ino just glared at him, the storm behind her growing in her anger _"Because of you, so many people died! Because of you, I died! Because of you, I never got the chance to tell him I loved him! Because of you, he died loving that Sand bitch instead of ME!" _with that final yell, Ino catapulted herself up the rest of the tower, leaving Naruto to sit in stunned silence as the platform continued its trip uninterrupted.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto was deep in thought when the platform reached the top floor. He just couldn't believe it. Ino blamed him for her death? That was just Hell's influence talking right? She also blamed him because Shikamaru (because really who else could she have been talking about) loved Temari and not her? Naruto didn't even know Ino liked Shika, let alone loved him. Naruto was willing to admit, much to his chagrin, that he wasn't that great when it came to matters of the heart.

Naruto was so engrossed in his thoughts, that he almost missed the tell-tale sobs of a soul in need. Snapping out of it at the sound, he walked forward. He was on a ledge overlooking the Circle Of Lust. But where was the sob coming from? Looking to his right, he saw a bone pole hidden in the shadows. Naruto might have missed it if he hadn't used one of these before.

Sliding down the pole, Naruto instantly saw the Shade, tucked away into a crevice in the wall. Just as he was about to approach the shade, it spoke _"It was no passing affair! I really did love him!" _Naruto recognized that voice. It was that crazy special jonin, Anko Mitarashi. Before Naruto could wonder how it was that every shade he encountered knew him in some way, her statement caught up with him. 'Anko in love, that's news to me. I wonder who it was.' "Who" Naruto voiced his question. Anko looked up at him, her shade eyes red from weeping. Anko frowned at him, and Naruto knew that she must hate being seen like this. But she answered all the same _"Iruka Umino"_ came the short reply. Naruto blinked once, then twice, his brain having left him behind. Finally he snapped back to reality "Iruka-sensei? You and him?" Anko could only nod _"Yes, he was so kind to me. I couldn't help but fall in love with him"_ she trailed off, and Naruto could have sworn he saw a blush. Shaking it off as a trick of the light, he pressed on "Well what are you doing here then? Shouldn't you be with him?" This question proved to be a mistake, as Anko dissolved into a fresh set of sobs. _"Iruka was sent to paradise, while I was sent to limbo. That alone was nigh-unbearable, but then I heard through the grapevine that that snake Orochimaru had escaped his sentence in the lower circles, and was heading this way. I wanted so much to confront him, to make sure he got the punishment he always avoided in life, that I lost my head. I followed a soul that Minos judged to this circle, only to find Orochimaru being trapped beneath a stone serpent. With him sealed up, there was nothing I could do. I could not take my revenge, and I was not strong enough to make it back to Limbo. I have been stuck here ever since."_ Anko closed her eyes, barely dealing with the unfairness of it all.

Naruto almost cried himself when he heard. While he did think that it was pretty reckless of Anko to charge headfirst out of the safety of Limbo for a more dangerous circle, he could understand her reasons. He himself had charged unthinkingly after Sasuke many times, so he wasn't likely to judge. Naruto then grinned, knowing it was time to give Anko some good news "Well, I think it's time for you to rejoin Iruka-sensei." Anko just glared at him _"How?"_ she asked, before going wide eyed at the sight of the holy chakra coming off Naruto's amulet. "Meet your ticket out of here" he said, his foxy grin now in full force. Anko couldn't believe her luck. She thought she was going to be stuck here forever _"You mean I'm finally free?" _she asked. Kami help this boy if this was some kind of sick joke. She needn't have worried. Naruto raised his holy talisman, and put Anko's spirit to rest. He grinned as Anko faded away, _"Everlasting Light!" _and with that she was gone, off to join her beloved.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Now Naruto would admit, not being able to wall walk sucked. However, he was willing accept that he would have to climb walls like a normal person for a little while. This though, was pushing the boundaries of annoying.

Naruto was forced to climb a series of walls. Fine. But a series of walls where lightning randomly shot across, and could barbecue him at a moments notice? Not cool.

He had finally come to a ledge just below the tip-top of the tower. He sat down to regain his strength. He hadn't sat there five seconds, when he heard _"Hey good looking. What's a guy like you doing in a Hell like this?" _Slowly, Naruto turned his head, and came face to face, with the Godaime Mizukage, Mei Terumi. Naruto just raised an eyebrow "Mei Terumi, you're here too huh?" at this point, Naruto wasn't that surprised. The fact that she was in lust, yes. But then again, he'd heard from some of the other shinobi that Mei had this weird thing revolving around the subject of marriage and her age. He waited for her to say something else, but so far she'd remained quiet. "Anything interesting you want to say? Some secret regret you harbor that you can't accomplish because you're in Hell and not Heaven?" Mei took on a thoughtful look for a minute, before shaking her head _"No, I'm good." _Naruto could feel his eyebrow twitch. "So…. would you like me to just go a head and absolve you now?" he asked. Mei just shrugged _"I'd appreciate it. The people down here aren't much to talk to, and their isn't much to do down here but mope about." _Naruto just nodded, practically in a daze. He raised the stone, and absolved her. Always one to get the last word in edge wise Mei added _"When you finish your mission cutie, come up and see me sometime, maybe we can go out…. " _the rest of the statement was unheard as Mei vanished.

Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose. Anko and the others had been fine, but that woman was something else. But now it was time to get back to the easy part of this trip, fighting absurdly powerful demons.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Climbing the last few feet to the top of the tower, Naruto peaked over, to see Ino, now at her regular height, lounging on a large four poster bed. Sensing his presence, she turned her head toward him and gave him a coy smile _"So you're all alone down here, huh Naruto. You look like you could use a friend. Why not stay down here with us? With me?" _She finished stretching herself out to work the kinks from her back, deliberately jutting her chest forward. Naruto just shook his head, never taking his eyes off Ino's. "I can't do that Ino. I have to set things right. I still have so many to save. Not just for myself, but for Kami too! We can't let the darkness win Ino!" he started off calm, but by the end was shouting; trying to make Ino understand. Ino just frowned, the gesture looking out of place on her otherwise unnaturally beautiful face. _"Don't be such a little bitch Naruto"_ she bit out harshly, her words like frost. _"Once this nasty business with you is taken care of, the real fun will begin, and the part we've all played will seem so small… " _ Ino trailed off, using her fingers to indicate how little she thought Naruto, herself, and their friends mattered. Naruto just shook his head, confused "I don't understand." he said, hoping Ino would elaborate. Ino just smirked and rolled her eyes _"Of course you don't. You gave up paradise to enter willingly into hell. And for what? A bunch of so called friends? Please! If they were any sort of friend, wouldn't they have been strong enough to avoid this place, like you did? Besides, who could care for such a pathetic creature as you. A filthy jinchuuriki. We'd have all been better off if we'd never met you!" _Naruto winced as her comments got more spiteful and mean-spirited. She had really hit a sore spot for him. Naruto just grit his teeth "Errrrr! Damn You!" he growled out. His statement just sent Ino into peels of laughter _"Too late for that!" _she said, before breaking out into even greater laughter. She started to float into the air, her bed disappearing, the storm around her growing to biblical proportions. _"And now…." _ she said, as she once again began to grow to massive proportions _"to give _him _the time _he_ needs." _Naruto could hear the shift in tone when Ino said 'him' and 'he'. Who was pulling the strings here? What did they want?

As a stray bolt of lightning struck the ground near him, he set the thoughts of who was playing puppet-master to the back-burner of his mind. Turning his attention back to Ino, he tried one last time to talk her down "Ino, this isn't like you! It's this place, it's making you do these things!" Ino just shrugged, her eyes half-lidded as if to say to the whole world that she doesn't give a damn.

Now to big to fit on top of the tower, Ino grasped onto it with both hands. Leaning forward, Naruto saw her eyes go wide. After seeing what'd she'd done to Orochimaru, Naruto promptly backed away. A gurgling noise made its way up her throat, and her cheeks bulged outward. With a great shuddering gasp, into opened her mouth. As she did, several small bolts of electricity fell to the ground. But they weren't alone. A figure had also leapt to the earth. He straightened up, showing himself to be much taller then Naruto. Naruto initially didn't recognize the figure. He was wearing a set of golden armor. His hair was white as snow, and flowed down his back. He had red markings on his face, like tears of blood had stained his skin crimson. And on his forehead, the word "Oil" was burned into his scalp. Blinking, Naruto's eyes widened in horror, as all the signs pointed to this being "Jiraiya-sensei! Is that you pervy sage?" he called out in a mix of excitement and terror.

The deceased toad sage did not acknowledge him, instead turning his head back to address Ino _"Mistress"_ he said, his voice strained, sounding like a parched man begging for a drink _"let me have him." _he asked, though their was a note of desperation in his voice. Ino just smiled _"As you wish…. Jiraiya-kun" _She faced Naruto, her smile growing at the look on his face. _"Jiraiya was the top soul around here before I showed up" _she said _"But after I caught here, I received a little…. power-up."_ she giggled to herself, like a person who knows a secret that they won't tell._ "After that, it was easy. Jiraiya could hardly ever resist a woman's touch in life. And in death, whatever restraint he had was wiped out down here. As a Yamanaka, I am well versed in the arts of controlling the mind. With my knew found power, I crushed what little resistance their was, and took over. Now he is my slave. And now…" _here her grin turned feral _"you DIE!" _she screamed, and Jiraiya leapt forward, with clear intent to end his youngest student's life. Naruto dodged the punch, with created a large hole in the roof. Naruto backed away quickly, trying to find the part of Pervy Sage he knew had to be their "No, Pervy Sage, you can't." he pleaded. Jiraiya actually did stop, for a moment _"Sorry kid, I'll try not to enjoy it to much." _ and with that he was at it again, a Rasengan in each hand.

Naruto wasn't quick enough, and a Rasengan slammed into his chest. He gasped in pain, just before he popped like a balloon. From underneath Jiraiya, four more Naruto's popped up. Two of them stabbed Jiraiya though the back of his knees with their Ninjato, taking care not to hit anything vital. They wanted to take Pervy Sage down, not out. The other two clones flashed their Medallions at their sensei, before blasting him off his feet with it. Jiraiya grunted as he flew, before firing bolts of purple lightning from his finger tips at the clones. Three of them disappeared, leaving only one to writhe in agony. As Jiraiya tried to stand, he found himself unable to due to his leg wounds. Naruto smirked, thinking he'd evened the playing field. But from the corner of his eye he saw Ino raise her free hand. Turning, he expected her to attack. What he didn't expect was for the now green lightning to arch over him and strike the downed Jiraiya. As soon as it touched him, he stood up, his wounds mending. _"Take my strength Jiraiya-kun" _Ino cooed out, sounding sincere. Naruto wanted to bash his head against the ground. She could heal him? This fight would take forever then! In his aggravation he fired off an unintentionally strong blast from his Medallion at Ino. So focused on healing, Ino couldn't get out of the way. The blast struck her hand and in reflex, she let go of the wall. The look on her face as gravity, the only law of nature that did seem to still apply, took affect, was priceless.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Ino grabbed the side of the wall as quickly as it could. Looking at her burned hand, frowning as the wound quickly healed. She started to climb, wincing at the injury. She knew she had to hurry. Despite what she'd said to Naruto, Jiraiya wasn't completely under her power. That was the only reason Naruto wasn't killed instantly. Jiraiya was fighting her, fighting her commands as much as he was able. And this wasn't helping, down here, she couldn't heal his injuries. Another problem was that the farther away she was from him, the more control he got. That was why she kept him inside of her most of the time.

Getting back up to the top of her tower, she frowned at what she saw. Jiraiya was practically standing still, as a virtual army of Naruto clones wove in under his guard to slash at him with their swords, before darting away to blast him with those amulets they carried. Ino raised her hand to cast her healing magic at him, put had to duck and slide to the side as she saw that Naruto had set aside a group of clones just for her, who were now taking potshots at her.

Ino grimaced, she was going to half to do something drastic if she wanted to win this fight. She placed a hand on her stomach, she hadn't planned to use him just yet, she still didn't have him under control. Mentally she sighed, oh well she thought, at least if he got out of hand, she could just order Jiraiya to kill him. With that thought in mind, she pulled herself back up.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

All in all, Naruto thought to himself, this wasn't going to badly. After Ino had fallen, Jiraiya had been practically a statue, only occasionally throwing a punch. He saw Ino try to poke her head over the tower, but the clones he'd set aside were keeping her away. Naruto was beginning to think this wouldn't be so bad.

Then Ino lurched up, disregarding the burns she got from the clones going ape on her. She opened her mouth, vomiting up a white mass from her gullet. Naruto grimaced, unsure what to expect, until he saw the mass moving. When it righted itself, he saw that it was Orochimaru, or what had been him at any rate. All his human traits had been destroyed, leaving only a giant snake creature. Both arms were gone, replaced by two more snakes in their place. Even his head was now a snake's; all human features gone. In fact, if Naruto hadn't already known who it was, he probably wouldn't have guessed Orochimaru. Ino looked down at Orochimaru as he righted himself, pointing at Naruto _"Kill him" _Naruto's eyes widened. Take on two of the sannin at once? That wouldn't end well.

But perhaps he had less to worry about then he first thought. Orochimaru's eyes, for a moment, were as dead as Jiraiya's. But then, in a moment, it was gone, replacing them with the look of the same old Orochimaru. The same Orochimaru that didn't take being ordered around by someone a third his age very well.

Whipping around, all of Orochimaru's snake eyes widened, filled with fury. _"Insolent brat, you think you can give orders to me? You will pay dearly for your folly!" _he roared, his voice a mass of hisses. Lashing out with his two snake arms, he bit both of Ino's hands. To add insult to injury, he opened his new mouth, and released a toxic venom right into her eyes. Screaming in pain, Ino barely holds on, despite the snakes that continue to bite her hands.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

While she and Orochimaru had at it, Naruto was still dealing with Jiraiya. With Ino so near, the mindless killing drone had returned, and made short work of his clones. However, the injuries he'd received were still very severe. And with Ino to preoccupied to heal him, he was on his last legs. Hands on his knees, he glared at the whelp across from him. Something inside of him was screaming at him to stop fighting, and to be honest, it was becoming a nuisance. _"How about this boy" _he said, getting the equally winded Naruto's attention _"One last attack, our most powerful, and we end this. The sooner I finish you, the sooner I can punish that upstart that dares to injure my mistress" _he finished, nodding in Orochimaru's direction. Naruto just nodded, before making the strongest Rasengan he could manage. He couldn't use nature charka, Kami only knows what kind of effect Hell would have on him, so he wasn't sure what to do. Luckily, it was his Medallion that once again provided the answer. By holding it in his hand, he was able to to channel not just holy chakra, but the charka of Kami herself. The control it took was unlike anything he'd ever attempted, and it took five clones huddled around him to do it, but he finally got it stable. He looked over at Jiraiya, who had been able to channel Hell's unique chakra, and was just now showing the effects. His gold armor became rusted and decayed. His hands and feet became clawed. The most drastic changes were the bat wings and pointed tail that sprouted from his back. Locking eyes, the two charged each other. Jiraiya with his blood red and midnight black Rasengan, against Naruto's blindingly white Rasengan.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Ino's mind raged while her eyeballs grew back. She was a fool to try and use Orochimaru. She should have know better then to trust a man! She was going to make him pay right now. But how. That was when she sensed her little Gamma-kun drawing on his nature chakra. Glancing over at the still fighting duo, she saw what they were going to attempt. That gave her an idea on how to deal with her treacherous little snake.

Just as Naruto and Jiraiya charge each other, Ino drew in a great breath. Locking onto Orochimaru, who was still trying to knock her loose from the tower with his snakes, she let loose a blast of compressed air and lightning. The sphere struck the snake, who couldn't dodge fast enough. But the purpose of the blast wasn't meant to kill, to was meant to move. The blast rocketed Orochimaru backwards…. straight into the crossfire of Naruto and Jiraiya's Rasengan battle.

The unfortunate snake slid to a stop, just as his former teammate and the Kyubi brat went to slam Rasengans. With a widening of his eyes, he realized he was smack dab where the two would meet!

In an instant, he was struck from both sides, punished and absolved from either sides. His body was destroyed and remade as his body's regenerative powers tried to keep up. They failed, and Orochimaru's body and power were destroyed. With a great blast, Jiraiya and Naruto were flung from the blast zone, both taking some significant damage from the backlash. Naruto used clones to help him skid to a stop. Jiraiya, however, his power spent, and his body beaten past it's limit, fell to the ground and lay still. And just after them, a third body flew from the ground zero. The body soared for a moment, before landing and impaling itself on one of the towers many spikes. The body was that of Orochimaru, now a mere shade. He lacked all the power his last form had, and was now at Hell's mercy.

Naruto however, was much more concerned with the body of his sensei. Just as he stood, he saw Ino disappear and reappear by Jiraiya in her human sized body. _"No Jiraiya!" _she cried, unable to accept that her most powerful soul had been defeated. Jiraiya just chuckled, his form flickering as his soul prepared to disappear forever _"You know, eternities not as long as I thought it was gonna be…." _he trailed off, resigned to his fate. Ino just shakes her head. She turned to face Naruto, glaring at him. If looks could kill, Naruto would have been nuked on the spot. _"This is all your fault! It was always your fault!" _

Naruto raised a hand, trying to calm the girl down as the storm about them got closer and closer "Now Ino, calm down, it isn't to late for Pervy Sage" he took out his amulet "I can still-" he stopped as an incredible force assaulted his mind. Grunting, Naruto felt like someone was trying to put a nail through his forehead. _"Naruto…. " _he looked up at Ino, startled by the sudden change in her tone.

Ino had stood, and was now walking toward him. She juts her breasts toward him, and waggles her hips, making sure Naruto's eyes are on her body. Naruto feels Ino's powers start to invade his mind, corroding his will, turning him towards Lust. Naruto drops his Ninjato under the mental assault and starts to back away. Ino stands before him, moving her body sensually back and forth. Using her powers she forces Naruto to look at her body. Her perfect, beautiful body. Her disgusting, demonic body. She jumps at him, and he only just holds her off, her demon teeth biting at him. In a moment of clarity, Naruto gives Ino a right-hook to the face. But before he can regain his bearings she's back on him, and pins him to the ground. Naruto flips her over and stares deep into her eyes. Eyes of deep passion. Eyes of superficial lust. Eyes of truest love. Eyes of greatest hate. Ino guides Naruto's hand down her chest, to her left breast, grinding into him. Inside Ino smirks in victory, she knows she has won. Naruto runs his hand across her chest, his thoughts becoming increasingly cloudy. Before with one sharp thrust, Ino gasps out. But not in pleasure. Pain. Looking down, Ino sees Naruto holding the hilt of the sword that is sticking from her side. Suddenly Naruto slams Kami's amulet into her other side. The Ninjato burns Ino away, the amulet rebuilds her. Moments later Naruto backs away as Ino's demon forms melts away, going back to wherever nightmares come from. She sits up, coughing heavily, vomiting a tainted looking black substance. Naruto vaguely notices a sword amongst the muck, before turning back to Ino. With the demon gone, only the true Ino remains. Shaking her head, Ino blinks, as if coming from a dream. Only to blush heavily at the state of her undress.

Naruto, after making sure Ino is okay, makes his way over to Jiraiya. Praying to Kami that he wasn't to late, he raises the amulet. The holy might of Kami pours out, bringing the Toad Sage back from the brink of oblivion. A few minutes later, Jiraiya is back to his super-pervert self. Jiraiya groans in pain, as the fog of mind control fades, he turns to Naruto _"Naruto, sorry about all that. I gave into the lust, I was too weak." _Naruto just shakes his head and gives the man a soft smile "No pervy-sensei, it wasn't your fault. I'm just glad that I was able to save you in time. Jiraiya chuckles _"Believe me kid, no ones more glad then I am." _The two are interrupted by a loud _"Ahem!" _they both turn and see the still blushing Ino. She's using her arms to cover herself the best she can, but from the look on her face, and the murmured obscenities; it's clear she's regretting the way her demon self chose to dress. Naruto tries to fight down his blush long enough to ask Ino "Sorry Ino. But I have to ask, how did you turn into that thing anyway?" Ino just shrugs the best she can _"How should I know. One minute I'm being throw about by whirlwind, the next, this bizarre energy flows over my body and turned me into that. Sorry I can't be more helpful. I'm also sorry about what I said. I didn't mean any of it." _she finished, her eyes going misty as the memories of what she'd said to her fellow blond came back to her. Naruto just waved it off "What's done is done Ino, no harm done. Hmm, Well, I guess you two will want to be moving on now, huh?" he asked them. Ino nodded so fast her head was almost a blur _"Yes please. This place is creepy! I just know that they better have real clothes in Heaven." _Naruto just chuckled nervously "I'm pretty sure they do" he said, placating the girl. Ino's face shifted into one of gratitude _"Good. And Naruto? For what it's worth, thank you. For saving me. Both from here, and from myself." _Naruto just grinned "No problem Ino, I bet you would've done the same for me. Jiraiya just grinned down at his student _"Naruto, you've become stronger then I'd ever hoped. Your parents would be very proud." _Naruto nodded "Thanks. Pervy Sage." he added with a grin. Jiraiya just sighed in resignation _"Even in death you can't show a little respect. All right, enough with all this mushy stuff. We have to move on, and you have a mission." _Naruto straightened up, "You're right Pervy Sage. I guess this is good-bye." Jiraiya shook his head _"Not likely brat. More like a…. see you when you get back." _Naruto grinned widely at that, and opened a the Portal of Redemption. Just before Ino steps through, she turned back to face Naruto. _"Oh, Naruto, since I'm not a demon anymore, I won't be needing this." _She summoned a ball of smokey purple energy into her hand. _"And I think you could use it better then I could." _with a flick of her hand, the passes into Naruto's chest. Immediately a whirlwind kicks up around him. Before Naruto could thank her, she'd already turned around and marched through the portal. Jiraiya stands there for a moment, before looking over his shoulder at Naruto _"Good luck kid, and thanks again." _and with that said he was gone.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto looked over the ruins of the tower roof. Two thing in particular caught his eye. The first was the sword that say in the melted remains of Ino's demon form. Walking over to it, he saw that it was the Kusanagi blade. It had apparently survived everything that had been thrown at it recently. Something inside Naruto told him to take. Picking it up, he tied it to his belt, before turning his attention to the only other occupant on the roof. Cautiously he walked over to where Orochimaru was impaled. It seemed that the snake bastard still continued to live. Gripping his Ninjato tightly, Naruto advanced on the spike. Orochimaru saw him and gave him a scathing look _"Oh, is it my turn now? Going to redeem my soul too?" _he gave a weak laugh, blood leaking from his mouth as he does so. _"You know, I always wanted to take up playing the heart, but I've never been able to find the time!" _the rest of his tirade was lost, in a fit of coughs and mad laughter.

Naruto's eyes turned grim "No Orochimaru. I know that such a thing would be wasted on you. Instead, I'm here to deliver your punishment." That statement just sent Orochimaru into greater fits of laughter _"Punishment? Boy, I'm in Hell, what more can you possibly do to me?" _he asked. Naruto's eyes became hard. "I can send you back where you belong!" he shouted, and all of a sudden, his Ninjato exploded with white light, tinged with red. Words filled his head, and on instinct, Naruto repeated what they said: "Orochimaru. Kami has seen your soul, and you have been found wanting. You have been found guilty for crimes been found guilty of crimes against man and God alike. And as you are undeserving of mercy, I sentence you back to the deepest, darkest, coldest pat of Hell, for all time. So mote it be." he finished. With a single swing, Naruto pierced Orochimaru's brain, and flooded his body with the Ninjato's energy. Orochimaru screamed, as pain beyond imagination exploded within him. In a moment he saw every horrible deed he had ever done cast back upon him, repeated ad infinitum. With a shuddering scream, his body disintegrated, turning to black vapor. As quickly as he changed, the smoke was sucked downward, where Naruto just knew that the sentence he had just handed down would be enforced.

Suddenly the tower shook. With Ino the demon no longer around to support the tower with her power, it was beginning to crumble. The elevator portion of the tower fell away down through the center of the tower. The few demons that are still in the tower attempt to confront Naruto, but a simple display of Ino's , no, his new magic, is enough of a display to convince them to flee for now. When the platform itself begins to crumble beneath the power of the raging storm, Naruto was able to use his Kama blade to attach to a nearby statue. Seeing that the statue was part of a line of statues, he uses them as latching points, and swings his way right out of the Lust.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Deep in the bowls of Hell, in the Ninth Circle, six eyes gazed unblinkingly into the distance. They stared onward and forever into the frozen wasteland that was the world of Traitors. It is a quite circle, as all within it are frozen. That calm is shattered, as a beam of light strikes near the center of the lake. The lake, surprisingly melts instantly. In the air, a body appears, screaming, as all souls do, as it plummets to it's doom at the hands of the lake. But something about this soul is different. Familiar. Raising a great hand, the being emitted a bit of it's demonic charka, catching the body. Staring at the soul, it recognized it as Orochimaru. The being's six eyes locked onto Orochimaru's two. _**"Orochimaru." **_it spoke in a voice more terrifying then any heard before by man _**"I've been expecting you. We have much to discuss." **_

**End Chapter 2**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura

**Kaiza

**Hanabi

**Lust: **Ino (Absolved)

Jiraiya (Absolved)

Orochimaru (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

**Ebisu

**Anko

**Mei Terumi

**Gluttony: **

**Greed: **

**Anger: **

**Heresy**

**Violence: **

**Fraud: **

**Treachery: **

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Kakuzu, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Pein, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Kiba, Shino, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, Choji, Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Tsunade**

And so Naruto has conquered the Winds Of Lust. But the journey has only just begun. Next Time: The damned Akatsuki keep popping up like weeds. And an old friend of Naruto's invites him over for dinner.

**AN: Well, that ends chapter two. ****Now I just want to say this, if only for my own benefit. That scene with Ino swallowing Orochimaru: If you played the game, you know she vomits up Mark Anthony. And there are only so many way he could have gotten in their. So, sorry if that bit came off as weird, but I wanted a way to remove Orochimaru for a bit; as I had this whole climactic battle scene planned. **


	4. Gluttony

**Well greeting everyone, here is the long awaited Gluttony Chapter. I know that it took a lot longer then the others, but I had a good reason. Gluttony, as a level... sucks. The boss battle is at the very beginning, and it ends with a puzzle that has nothing to do with what the circle is about. So I decided to be original, and make Gluttony how I wanted. I only hope that it turns out alright. Many of you were able to guess who showed up in this chapter, and I will admit it is fairly obvious. **

**I also love how often this story has been put on favorites, and how many of you took the time to review. I love getting reviews, so ****I would, if you will indulge me, answer a few questions from the review, as well as point a few things out. If you didn't review, or don't really care about what I might say, feel free to skip this. If you did review, then maybe I answered a comment or question of yours below.  
**

**Baron Von Nobody: Yes, a lot of people want Konan saved. If that keeps up, I may just do it. Also, no. Hidan will not be appearing in this story in a major way. I may make a passing remark about him in Heresy, but remember, as a worshiper of Jashin, Hidan's soul is property of that dark deity, with his own particular afterlife.**

**Xblaze: I will take what you said about Dante's father's cross into consideration. I do, however, have a plan about what to do when Naruto reaches the Forest of Suicides. As for Orochimaru... well you'll just have to wait and see. **

**XKhaosXKyuubiX: I wasn't trying to fool anyone. Those parts at the bottom are merely there for dramatic effect, and to build tension for the next chapter. I don't think you meant anything by it, I just felt like acknowledging your comment. **

**Nightwalker666**: **Don't worry, the Suicide is already taken care of. And while I do think that having Akamaru take the part of Cerberus would be an interesting idea, at that point, the I already had a roll picked out for Akamaru, and the portions with Cerberus written. It was a good idea though, and I appreciate the input. And as for the level of Fraud... trust me, I know what to do. **

**DarkShadowRaven**: **Don't worry, Sakura has her own special spot in Hell. And I felt that putting Orochimaru in the realm of Traitor would just be a little to obvious. I have to make sure to give you guys some surprises. **

**Dark Vizard447: Thank you. And to answer your question... Sorry not telling yet. **

**And that's all of them for now. Please keep on reading, and keep on reviewing. So now it is my pleasure to present, with approximately 13,322 words ...  
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-Naruto In Hell-

Naruto didn't look back as he walked away from the storms of lust, instead focusing on what lay ahead. And what lay ahead was… a large pit. Sighing, Naruto looked around from, and found another bone spire. Grabbing on, he began to slide downward. It was only an impending sense of danger that made Naruto halt his decent. An instant later, the wall next to the bone spire erupted in fire, burning the spot Naruto would have been had he continued. Now realizing the danger, he was able to time his fall to avoid the blasts of fire. After the bone spire was a rope, which Naruto used to swing over to another spire. But blocking Naruto's way was another large chain. Again, Naruto destroyed it despite the uneasy feeling it gave him. Finally after a lot of swinging and climbing, he made it a ledge where Kyubi was waiting for him. But she wasn't looking at him, she was looking out into the third circle. Standing next to her, Naruto got his first real look at Gluttony, (though he wasn't aware yet that this was that circle).

It looked…. dirty. Where the circle of Lust had looked more ethereal, being predominately a large storm, this circle was much more…. physical, Naruto guessed. It looked like a large plain of mud, or at least Naruto sincerely hoped it was mud. And over the rolling hills of filth, he could see a multitude of souls just lying in it. Above the whole place, rain was falling in sporadic gouts. But it wasn't normal rain, it was brown and clumpy, much like the ground. But the worst thing about it was the smell. Even from way up here, Naruto could smell it. It smelled of rotting food and reeking sewage. At first, Naruto had a tough time keeping his lunch down. The only other interesting features were a large, brownish mountain, and what looked like a massive pod shaped…. thing. Deciding to break the silence, he turned to the Kyubi, the look asking his question for him. _"For the ruinous fault of Gluttony are these sad souls broken by the rain and the mud." _she said answering his unasked question without looking at him. _"But something is wrong." _she said, a hint of worry in her voice. Naruto raised an eyebrow, if something went wrong in Hell, how could you really tell? Shrugging inwardly he asked "What's wrong?". Kyubi just shook her head _"Cerberus is not here. I can not see him…." _Naruto was kind of confused now. Was Cerberus a spirit Kyubi knew. If they were, how did she expect to see them from all the way up here. Glancing at him, Kyubi sighed and said _"Cerberus. The great worm. As a dog that craves barking, then grows quiet as he snaps up his food, so are the foul faces of the demon Cerberus; who thunders over these souls." _she finished to Naruto's wide eyed stare. Naruto just nodded. Okay, he supposed that if a giant worm demon went missing, he'd be kind of nervous too. Kyubi turned to face him _"Despite not being part of your main objective, you may want to look into what happened to Cerberus. Anything that could defeat him even for a little while would be an opponent worth fearing." _she said, getting a nod from Naruto.

Naruto then asked another question. "Kyubi, what should I do with this?" he asked, taking Orochimaru's Kusanagi from his belt. Kyubi looked at it surprised, having not expected Naruto to pick up such a weapon since she saw him last. Shaking off her surprise she told him _"Place the blade above your own Holy Ninjato. Kami will take care of the rest." _Naruto carefully placed the Kusanagi over his Ninjato. At first nothing happened, and he was about to voice his displeasure at Kyubi, when a blinding light enveloped both swords, revealing their separate auras. The Ninjato's pure white was a sharp contrast to the Kusanagi's dark purple. Then in an instant, the Kusanagi exploded, leaving only the aura behind. But instead of fading, the aura was drawn into the Ninjato. To Naruto it looked like the blade got a little sharper and longer, not by much, but enough that he noticed it. Finally the edge of the sword glowed purple before fading back to its natural white. _"Behold Naruto"_ he heard Kami in his head. _"Your Ninjato has absorbed some of the powers of the Kusanagi. The blade has gained even greater cutting power, and the blade is incredibly toxic to anything demonic. It should help you purge demonic influences, and cut through mystic barriers. If it should show any other powers beyond that, only time will tell." _and with that, the voice faded. He looked up to find that the Kyubi had also faded. It was a shame, he was hoping for some more info on this circle. Especially that big Pod thing. Naruto wasn't sure why, but he felt like it was looking at him. Shrugging off, he hopped onto a bone spire and slid down into the Circle Of Gluttony.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Landing on the ground, Naruto took note of how squish and malleable the ground was here. Shaking off his disgust, Naruto walked onward. He past what looked like large skeleton hands, but tried to ignore them, or thinking about what they once belonged to.

Soon the road Naruto was on dropped away on either side, looking like a bridge over the land of Gluttony. But instead of water, it was the muddy shitty filth that rained down from the sky.

But when Naruto walked over a particularly soft patch of mud, he heard a rumble in the ground. Stiffening he took out his Ninjato and prepared himself. Suddenly the ground behind him burst open and a large green snapping tentacle flew out at him. It slammed into his sword, pushing him back until he was in danger of falling into the sludge. Pushing it back with a surge of Charka induced strength, Naruto took a good look at his assailant. It wasn't so much a tentacle in the sense of Konan's paper-cles had been. No, it was more like a tentacle with a claw on the end. In fact Naruto thought that with the color and shape, it almost looked like a venus-fly trap…. crap. Sighing as he realized what was coming next, he called out "That you in there Zetsu?". He had to admit, he wasn't expecting to encounter an Akatsuki so soon in this circle. The trap-head shook, then opened like a great bear-trap. Inside was a familiar black and white figure. Zetsu, cannibal plant man of the Akatsuki was before him. And compared to Konan or Orochimaru, he actually didn't seem to have faired so badly. Granted, he'd always looked like a monstrous freak of nature, but here he didn't look it any more (or any less for that matter).

Zetsu grinned a toothy smile at the sight of him _"Ah, if it isn't __**Naruto Uzumaki. What **__a please to see __**you." **_Zetsu said in his strange voice. _"I only wish I could be __**here to address you in person." **_he continued, drawing a strange look from Naruto. "In person?" he asked clearly confused. Zetsu just smiled down at Naruto, not at all displeased _**"Yes, I am merely **__a small part of the much __**larger being you ca**__ll Zetsu." _the not Zetsu explained. That just confused Naruto even more. "If you aren't the real Zetsu, then where is he?" he demanded, not in the mood to play games with this cannibal psycho. Instead of answering, Zetsu turned sideways to look into the distance. Following his gaze, Naruto rested his eyes on the large pod he'd noticed earlier. Quickly putting two and two together, Naruto came to the horrifying conclusion. "No way, you mean that …." he trailed off, hardly wanting to believe it. The not Zetsu just nodded _"This place has been so good to us. Fr__**esh soil, and all we could eat, allowed u**__s to grow more powerful the__**n ever! We have almost ta**__ken over this circle, and when w__**e have, we shall branch **__out into the upper and __**lower circles. **__None shall __**stop us**__! Not you, or our new __**rival!" **_the not Zetsu exposited, his entire body shivering in barely contained gluttony. Naruto wondered who could possibly be Zetsu's rival, when Zetsu locked his gaze on Naruto _"But __**enough **__about __**us, **__Naruto. __**It's **__time __**to **__start __**the **__feeding." _and with that, Zetsu, or at least part of him launched itself at Naruto.

Naruto, not having enough room to dodge, was caught. The two halves of the fly trap dug into his arms, and had he not been wearing armor, Naruto was sure he would have been killed. He watched in a mixture of horror and disgust as Zetsu stretched out to him within the flytrap, his lips peeled back to reveal wickedly sharp teeth. The plant was squeezing so hard, Naruto was having a hard time getting air. **Air!** That was the answer. Focusing within himself, he sought to draw on the power that had been given to him by Ino. Quickly finding the rolling mass of chaotic energy, Naruto unleashed it upon Zetsu. A sphere of lightning and air surrounded Naruto. The bolts flew in all directions, striking Zetsu about the face as the hurricane force winds tore his plant to shreds. Zetsu never had a chance as he fell to the ground dead, his body decimated. Naruto knew that the real Zetsu wouldn't have been disposed of so easily, but he felt satisfied all the same. Keeping an eye on the body, Naruto watched as the vine began to wither and die, but was quickly pulled underground before Naruto could see anymore. Deciding not to take a chance that the false Zetsu may come back, he decided to book it to the other side of the bridge.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

When Naruto got to the end of the bridge, he found that it didn't so much end, as it did stop. It didn't connect to any other landmass, leaving him stranded in a sea of mud a fecal matter. The only other choice, besides going back, was to go down the hole in front of him. He was loathe to take that option though, mostly because he knew nothing good would come from being underground. Sighing, Naruto realized he had no choice, and be started to make his way down.

Landing, he instantly saw that his initial assumption had been correct. All around the room screeching fiends were trying, and failing, to hold off three Zetsus that and come up through the floor and were trying to eat them. One demon was attempting to order the plant-man back, but it seemed Zetsu had other ideas. And all the demon got for his trouble was to be bitten in half. Seeing the exit on the opposite side of the carnage, he realized he was going to half to fight his way out.

Taking a few steps back, Naruto wrapped the chain of his Kama blade around the hilt of the Ninjato. Satisfied, he channeled the burning chakra into the sword, took aim and hurled the sword like a javelin tosser. The sword burned through the air, leaving a smokey trail in it's wake. The blade pierced the chests of two fiends before the blade slammed into the side of one of the Zetsus' heads. Normally the Ninjato blade wouldn't be long enough, but when Naruto had channeled chakra into it, the blade had lengthened slightly. Not noticeable to Naruto at the time, but certainly noticeable to the Zetsu who brain was getting boiled in his head.

The last few fiends were easily picked off some holy chakra blasts, and he'd taken care of the other Zetsu by using a shadow clone substitution. He'd made the two slam into one another jaws first. Unfortunately for them, Zetsu wasn't going to spit out any meat he could get. Even if it was himself. This lead to Naruto watching in minor horror as the Zetsu proceeded to devour each other. By the time Naruto had retrieved his sword, their was only the one Zetsu left panting and bleeding on the ground. A sword through the eye had taken care of the rest. With that done, Naruto had left the room. Only to run into another lost soul.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto had found another exit to the underground network he was in; one that looked like a mouth from the inside. But that wasn't what had drawn Naruto's attention, no it was the portly soul sitting next to the path. But for the first time, Naruto couldn't place who this was. _"I lie here, a beast in my own filth, punished for a life of excess. Let my sentence stand as an admonition to those ruled by appetite." _Well that was no help, Naruto didn't know anyone who talked like that. Reaching down, Naruto grabbed the shades shoulder. In an instant, Naruto saw flashes of who they'd been in life. A large man with an orange mohawk. Standing with three other people: A redhead, a guy with two heads, and a guy with six arms! And lastly, he was wearing the sound symbol. Naruto's eyes snapped back to reality as he looked down at the quivering shad of Jirobou of the Sound Five.

Gripping his Ninjato tightly, Naruto frowned. This guy was part of the group that helped Sasuke betray the village. This guy in particular had almost killed Choji. Naruto didn't care if this guy did have some sob story, he couldn't absolve this man. _'Then you know what must be done'_ the voice that was not a voice said inside of him. Indeed he did. He grabbed Jirobou by the neck, dragging him up much rougher this time. Sensing what Naruto was going to do, Jirobou struggled weakly; his strength from life gone. _"No please!" _He yelled, but it was not enough. Naruto buried his Ninjato deep into Jirobou's emaciated flesh, letting his anger at the soul flow fourth. In an instant, Jirobou was on the floor, writhing as he dissolved from the feet up, his soul burning away. With a final scream he was gone. Where, Naruto didn't know, but he just hoped it was unpleasant. "Cursed scum" Naruto murmured under his breath as he exited the cave.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As soon as Naruto exited the cave, it slammed shut behind him. He turned to look at it, and stared up at what looked like a giant face. Turning back around, he saw several similar mouths slam shut. The limps of the giants twitched back and forth, as if they were chewing something. _"More! More"_ they groaned, their voices echoing in the air.

But Naruto was unable to do anything for…. whatever these things were. Because at that moment several bug demons flew from the much, heading straight at Naruto. Some of them decided that instead of flying at him, they instead aimed their stingers at him. This was followed directly by a small ball of sickly yellow-orange energy flying toward him in a low arch.

Naruto sighed in his head and took out his amulet. He didn't want to spend a lot of time fighting these things. Hell, he didn't want to spend a lot of time in this circle! It smelled bad, it looked bad, the ground was starting to soak his boots, and he knew it was only a matter of time before it got to his feet. So all in all, these bugs picked a very bad time to bother him. "Hello misplaced aggression" he muttered under his breath. Deciding to try something different, Naruto began to release as many blasts as possible, while spinning on his heel like Neji Kaiten. The effect was that instead of going in one direction, a wall of the energy swirls were released. The bugs stood no chance as they were popped like fat balloons at a roadside carnival game.

The beams also seemed to effect the giant mouths, which jerked open in wake of the white blasts. At the other end off the "Valley of Mouths" as Naruto called it in his head, he saw another exit. Hopping from one floating meat island to another, Naruto made his way to the exit. But glancing over at one of the cave-mouths, Naruto saw a shade. Knowing it was his duty to judge the soul, Naruto made his way over to it.

It was the shade of a woman, and already Naruto knew she was no good. She was glaring at him, and mumbling things like 'demon' and 'filthy creature' under her breath. She knew him, but Naruto was pretty sure he didn't know her. At least, not personally. Grasping hold of her, the information about her instantly filled Naruto's head. This was Koharu, the Third Hokage's female teammate. He also saw why she was here. For years Koharu, who had overseen a great deal of Konoha's finances, had been siphoning off small amounts all the time to spend on her appetites. She'd been a secret drunk, who blew her money on lavish meals and fancy alcohol for herself, but none for her family or friends. Her overindulgences knew no limit, and Naruto knew in his heart that this woman would let a person starve to death rather then offer them any comfort.

Naruto threw her down, repulsed to have touched her. He whipped his Kama chain around, before lassoing it around the Elder's neck. Koharu's eyes widened as she called out _"Someone stop this demon!" _but here, it was unlikely to be heard. Even if someone did hear, her statement was sort of the norm in Hell. The chain tightened the chain, and sent a pulse through the metal, then tugged. Koharu's neck snapped, and her soul dissolved. Naruto turned his back on her thinking to himself 'what a wasted life'.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

While Naruto would normally like to avoid walking on such a flimsily looking rope, he'd found no other viable option, and was force to use it. Looking down, he saw several damned souls swim up from the muck calling out to him, trying to explain their sins. _"I had no choice" "I cannot control this hunger" _were just some of the excuses thrown his way. Soon Naruto had made it to the other side, and ran into the next tunnel. Following it, Naruto found himself in a room that resembled a giant stomach. That may have been what it was, if all the foul noises coming from around the room were an indication of it's purpose. Spying a familiar ghostly figure Naruto walked toward her. Naruto noticed that here, Kyubi had apparently opted to float above the ground, rather then touch it. Naruto found that rather funny, since as a ghost Kyubi probably couldn't feel the ground. But then again, looking at the floor, Naruto was sure he'd have done the same.

Seeing him, Kyubi expressed her displeasure _"I hate this place Nauruto, it radiates a putrid stench that even I am able to smell. So let's just get this over with okay?" _she practically pleaded. Naruto just nodded his head. _"Good. What these shades could not satisfy in life, in death they shall be denied for eternity." _Naruto winced, that sounded harsh to him "But can these souls never be released from their torment?" he asked. He had at times during this trip, when the danger seemed less eminent, he had considered judging all the souls he'd past. Like those souls in the muck he'd just past. Maybe they just needed a second opinion. Maybe they really could explain themselves. The only reason he hadn't acted upon that impulse was because he was on a mission to save his friends. Kyubi must have sensed what he was thinking, because she snapped at him _"I'd abandon that line of thinking right now kit. That's a good way to end up like Minos." _Naruto frowned, he certainly didn't want that to happen but maybe if…_"They wake no more." _Kyubi continued, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts, and pushing them to the back of his mind _"That is, until the trumpet of the angel sounds. Then, each shall take again his flesh, and hear that which resounds to all eternity." _she ended her statement with a far away look in her eye, as if imagining something amazing. What she said put Naruto somewhat at ease. It sounded like these souls would get a second chance after all. Just at what point in the future, Naruto was unsure. "These…. torments; will they increase or grow less after the Great Judgement?" he asked. Kyubi got a weird look on her face, like someone had given her cod liver oil _"The more a thing is perfect, the more it feels goodness, and so it is with pain. They cannot attain perfection, but look to be nearer to it then than now." _she rushed out, not looking at Naruto, instead choosing to focus on her red knees. Naruto frowned at her "That doesn't answer my question!" he snapped at her. Why was she being evasive? Was this some great truth man was not meant to know. Kyubi just looked at him and smirked _"No, I suppose it doesn't" _and with that comment she vanished. Naruto sighed, that was annoying. Looking over, he saw a shimmering silver light in the distance. Was that the exit? Was the circle of Gluttony over so soon? Hey he wasn't going to complain.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

"Crap, crap, crap!" Naruto shouted as he backflipped over a demon. Naruto hadn't taken ten kami damned steps away from the Kyubi, when he'd been surrounded by a wall of fire. The next second three fiends, a Zetsu, and two demons appeared. That was bad enough, but the enclosed space didn't allow for a lot of fancy moves, so Naruto was having a hard time avoiding his enemies. He jumped over a fiend's swords slash, allowing it to connect with the Zetsu behind him. These Zetsu were mindless beasts, lacking the intelligence of their main body. As such, it responded to the injury by tearing the hapless fiend in half. Naruto tried to fire a Holy blast at it while it feasted, but it had enough sense to duck. The blast did hit a fiend, propelling it and a demon into the wall of flames.

Spinning on his heel he raised his Ninjato to block an overhead strike from the remaining demon. As it used it's superior strength to push down on him, Naruto pushed himself as close to the demon as he could get. It repulsed him to be so near as to smell the creature. It reeked of rotting flesh and blood. When he couldn't take it anymore he used his new found magic "Winds Of Lust!" he shouted as Ino's former magic flared around him. The wind bit into the demon's flesh, while the lightning traveled down it's scimitar and delivered a painful shock. The demon jerked back, yowling in pain, as sparks danced across it's flesh.

The Zetsu charged forward at him, it's pod closed, looking like a bizarre battering ram. Focusing the wind magic directly in front of him, Naruto was rewarded by watching the Zetsu bounce off his force field. As it past, Naruto jabbed his Ninjato into it and set it a light before it could pull back. The plant gave a final yell of agony before, still clutching it's injured side, it shriveled to nothing. But before Naruto could cerebrate, the demon had recovered. Feeling quite displeased at being electrocuted, it charged Naruto in a blind fury. Planting his legs firmly on the ground, Naruto waited until the beast was at him. Then he lunged under it's guard, and lifted the beast up. Using the creature's own momentum against it, he sent it soaring over the wall of fire, and into the mud. The beast righted itself, and tried to walk forward, but soon found itself stuck. Looking down, it saw that it's cloven feet were sinking quickly into the ground. It tried to pry itself away, but the more it struggled the faster it sank. From the side, Naruto could see the souls of the gluttons swimming through the muck toward the demon, who was now beyond frantic. In a flash, the souls were on him, and he was pulled under.

Rather put off by the spectacle he'd just witnessed, he turned back to the last fiend; who stood shaking in a corner. Seeing his gaze upon it, the fiend lost it's nerve. It waved it's hand at the fire, which dissipated rapidly. The fiend then high-tailed it in the opposite direction. Shrugging at the only smart display he'd seen from a demon, Naruto turned and walked through the shimmering sliver doorway.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Immediately, Naruto was accosted by a horrid stench. And that was saying something considering what the rest of Gluttony smelled like. But it was what Naruto saw that really scared him. It was a large square room. It looked fairly basic, rather spartan actually. It was made of white stone, with four pillars at each corner. Embedded in each pillar was another simmering gateway. The room was about the size of a large banquet hall, which was fitting considering what it contained. In the center of the room was a pile of corpses. Though perhaps they weren't all corpses, as a few of the bodies that were still intact appeared to be twitching in an attempt to escape. But escape was hopeless, for their was no way to escape the hunger of the rooms other inhabitants.

They were the Gluttons. Voracious eating monsters with a taste for just about anything and everything. Even sitting down they were were tall, standing they were most likely seven or eight feet high. Their skin was a disgusting light brown, though it was hard to see; caked as it was beneath layers of filth. The creature was also in possession of a great deal of teeth. Three rows of razor sharp teeth filled it's mouth. It's hands were replaced with more mouths, and more teeth. And the strangest mouths were located on the sides of their heads; taking the place of their ears.

The Gluttons sat around the pile of corpses, feasting on the souls that lay there. Every once in a while a new soul would fall from the sky onto the pile, to be quickly snatched up by one of the Gluttons. Naruto saw two Gluttons fighting over a souls, the mouths on their hands grasping at it, before with a scream from the terrified shade, it was torn apart. The Gluttons paid no mind to the death, and just proceeded to feast on it's remains. Finally Naruto could take the sight of these monsters no more, and turned to leave. Only to find that the exit had disappeared. Naruto swore under his breath, before noticing how quite the room had become. Slowly looking over his shoulder, Naruto saw that all the Gluttons in the room were staring at him, their mouths wide open. Naruto could practically see the gears in their simple minds turning. Their gaze practically screamed _'fresh meat'. _As one, the six of them stood on their great stubby legs. They wobbled at first, as though they hadn't stood in a long time; which Naruto would have believed as fact. Seeing as their was no way out, except for the shimmering portals in the corners of the room (and sense the last one who'd used took him hear, he wasn't in a hurry to try again), he knew he'd have to fight his way out.

"You want a piece of me?" he called out. "Well come and get me!" The Gluttons charge at him, all to happy to oblige.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As the first Glutton reached Naruto, he ducked under it's fanged fist, and sliced his Ninjato through it's fat stomach. But nothing happened. Naruto had to roll away to avoid a tree truck like leg that threatened to squash him to jelly. Naruto looked back at the one he had stabbed. While it was clearly injured, the Glutton didn't seem to notice. It was simply to stupid to recognize anything other then hunger and potential sources of food.

Twirling his chain around his head like a lasso Naruto threw the Kama blade around the foot of one Glutton, pulled back and watched it collapse backward into another Glutton. While they were down, he blasted as much holy chakra at them as he could. But the first took the brunt of the blast, leaving the second largely unscathed. They both had enough strength to stand back up and lurch toward him.

Naruto summoned twelve clones to help him deal with the creatures, and they immediately set about the task. The Gluttons, frankly, were ecstatic that their meal had multiplied; now their was two for each of them. The closest clone was scooped up by one of the Gluttons before it could get away. Before it's struggles could amount to anything, the Glutton reached back, and bit the clone's head off, causing it to dispel instantly. Naruto grimaced, that kind of attack would likely kill him just as quickly as it did his clones. Banding together, the Clones ganged up on the Glutton that had dispelled their brother. The slashed it and blasted it, all while taking care to avoid the other Gluttons in the room. Where was Naruto? He'd leapt out of the fray and was using his meager Genjutsu skills to keep himself hidden from these creatures. While this normally went against his normal fighting style, Naruto was trying to think up a plan incase his clones failed. And judging by the fact that four of them had just been dispelled, that was the most likely outcome. They had been dispelled when the Gluttons had started to showcase their new (to him anyway) power of vomiting acid. The only good news was that they'd managed to take out one of the Gluttons by leaping on it's back and stabbing it repeatedly in the skull. Even the creature as resilient as the Glutton couldn't ignore that.

Most of the clones had been destroyed, and their were still five Gluttons left. But Naruto had a plan. He'd found that he could use chakra to climb the walls here. Making his way up to the ceiling, he dropped the illusion, and called out to the Gluttons. Immediately, the gathered under him, their mouths open like a waiting pool of piranha. Pumping as much as Ino's magic into the blade as he could, he added a bit of holy chakra to the mix (well more like a lot of holy chakra) and hurled the glowing blade downward.

"Blessed….." he called out as the blade shot to earth like a sparrow in flight. In the next instant it hit the ground "Tempest!" and then the technique took effect. A vortex that spanned from the food splattered ground to the almost chapel-like ceiling sprung to life. It's wind was made from a blinding white light, and as it spun, it released a bizarre noise. While it did have the same lustful moans from before, it also had the sound of laughter, wistful sighs, and all manner of joyful sounds. But it was not the sound that had the Gluttons attention. It was probably the fact that the Glutton that had been near the starting point of the blast had been blown to pieces. It's thick body had not been able to save it from the holy blades of wind which swirled about. The rest of the Gluttons tried to backpedal away, tripping and stumbling over themselves. The wind lashed at their backs, leaving deep scratches in their fatty backs. Finally the wind slowed down, but instead of simple dissipating, it released one final explosion. The blast was so great, it threw the remaining Gluttons to the floor, and dislodged Naruto from the ceiling, slamming him into a wall.

'Okay' Naruto thought, next time, he'd avoid using that attack in enclosed spaces. Shaking his head, he tried to get rid of the rumbling noise that filled his ears. But after a few moments, Naruto realized that the sound wasn't in his head, it was coming from outside the room. Looking around, he saw that the the whole room was beginning to shake. The Gluttons were still trying to right themselves, but what was really disturbing was the look that seemed to come across their faces. The look of eternal hunger had passed, replaced by something much more primal. Fear. In the next moment the rumbling stopped, but Naruto knew that it was just the calm before the storm.

Without warning the ceiling was blasted away, as what looked like a giant meaty fist punched it's way through. Soon the entire ceiling was falling away, to reveal a new nightmare to Naruto. The fist grabbed the remaining Gluttons, who were trying desperately to right themselves and flee. The hand engulfed them, screeching in terror, and hoisted them into the air. Naruto watched transfixed, as the massive creature dropped the significantly smaller Gluttons out of it's hand…. and straight into it's gullet. There was a rumbling, cracking noise, which Naruto realized was the sound of the creature chewing. Soon though, the creature turned it's massive coal black eyes on to Naruto.

It looked like the demented love child of Shukaku and one of the Gluttons. It was the right hight for the sand demon, but lacked his tanuki features. It did have the creature's insane look in it's eyes. The rest of the body was pure Glutton. The flabby filth encrusted body, the mouth full of razor sharp teeth, everything. Only the hands appeared to be normal (even if they were gigantic); the reaching fingers the size of ancient redwoods. The only other noticeable feature about the giant were the swirls on his cheeks. Seeing those, Naruto knew right away that this was another one of his friends, twisted by the powers of Hell.

"Choji?" Naruto called out hesitantly "is that you up there buddy?" There! A spark of recognition behind those dead eyes. _"Naruto?" _the giant now identified as Choji squinted down at him; his voice like rumbling thunder. Suddenly Choji threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing across the entire circle. _"It is you! I can't believe it…. you actually got shorter!" _Naruto was sure a tick mark appeared over his head at those words "Well maybe you just got a lot bigger! Did you ever think of that? Huh!" Naruto stopped himself too late. If this new Choji was anything like the old one, he might take that as a fat joke. And where the old Choji was strong enough to beat anyone who said that sort of thing to death with a steel beam, this one looked like he could use a mountain.

But Choji didn't get angry, quite the opposite. He just placed one hand behind his head and the other on his massive gut. _"Yeah" _he admitted, a dark humor creeping into his voice _"And I didn't even have to eat my vegetables!" _he said before descending into deep chuckling. Naruto cringed inwardly, "So Choji" he said, getting the giant's attention again. "Are you ready to get going?" he asked. Inside he was praying with all his might to Kami, hoping that this encounter wouldn't end in a massive (no pun intended) brawl. It seemed like it was not to be however, as Choji just got a confused look on his face. _"Go? Go where?" _he was quite confused about what Naruto meant by going anywhere. "Paradise, Choji. That's what I came down here for, to save everyone so we could enjoy it together." Naruto explained to larger then life friend. Choji's frown deepened _"But I thought this was Paradise" _Naruto's eyes widened at that "Choji how could you think that, this is Hell, you don't belong here?" Choji shook his massive head, his fat cheeks shaking like a bulldog's _"How could it not be? The war is over, the good guys won." _Choji said, his eyes closed in thought _"Besides"_ he added _"how could this not be paradise, when there's all the food I could ever eat?" _he finished, sweeping his massive arm in the direction of the vast expanse that was the third circle. Naruto tried to make Choji see reason "But what about your friends, haven't you wondered about them?" he pleaded. Choji just scratched a cheek with one massive finger, looking sheepish _"Well, not really. I just assumed that they must all be enjoying there own versions of paradise. I thought about looking for them, when I first got here" _he explained, his face furrowing as he tried to focus back that far. _"But then I just got so hungry that I had to eat something. And the more I ate, the bigger I got. And the bigger I got, the hungrier I became. And once I started, I couldn't stop. In fact, this is the longest I've gone without eating since I got here." _Choji stated conversationally. Naruto decided on a different tactic "And what about Zetsu? He was evil! He was part of the Akatsuki! What would he be doing in paradise?" Naruto asked. Choji looked at the large pod off in the distance _"Well…. the Akatsuki made hundreds of them to be their cannon fodder. Maybe he wasn't evil at all, that's just what he was forced to be. If that's the case, then he deserves a reprieve after that forced servitude."_ he declare, nodding sagely.

Naruto's heart was beating fast, his talk with Ino and Lee hadn't lasted nearly this long. They had dismissed and attacked him almost immediately. The fact that Choji hadn't was making Naruto really nervous, because it was either a really good thing, or a really bad thing. He just wasn't sure which yet. "Well Choji, it's not paradise, it's Hell. And we have to get you out of here. Now!" he tried again to convince Choji to let him help the larger boy. Choji frowned at Naruto _"Am I the first person you've met?" _he asked suddenly. Naruto shook his head "No, I've already saved Hinata, Rock Lee, Ino, and Jiraiya!" he answered. Choji just nodded, _"And after you 'save' me, what will you do then?" _he asked. Naruto just sighed "I'll head down to the next circle, and see who I can help there" he answered honestly. Now that Choji was here, he may be able to avoid fighting Zetsu altogether. Zetsu was already in Hell, and didn't seem particularly interested in leaving. The souls he was eating were the souls of the damned anyway, so what difference did it make? As long as he didn't get in Naruto's way, or try to escape as long as Naruto could stop him, he was content to just let the plant man eat. Choji's frown deepened _"A huh, you know what I think Naruto?" _he asked, leaning down toward Naruto, close enough for Naruto to see a line of drool slip off his chin and hit the ground….. and burn right through it. He turned his attention back to Choji _"I think you're just trying to clear us out, so you can have the paradise all to yourself!" _he accused. Naruto backed up in shock. Both at what he was being accused of, and the sheer absurdity of the idea. _"Well it won't work! I'm not going anywhere. And neither are you"_ Naruto didn't like the sound of that all. "What are you talking about Choji?" he asked nervously, backing against the wall. Choji's smile was all teeth as he responded _"Don't you know, Naruto? It's time for dinner!" _he roared, his arm crashing down on the remains of the building. It was only thanks to a clone replacement that Naruto wasn't flattened like a pancake. Landing in the fields of Gluttony, Naruto watched as Choji stood to his full height, looking down at Naruto with hatred and hunger in his eyes. Inwardly Naruto sighed 'here we go again…. '

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It turned out that comparing Choji to Shukaku was a pretty apt description, since this fight was turning out more and more like that one. In death Choji's ability to change his size seemed to have stayed with him. No matter where Naruto ran, Choji was able to stretch his arms to reach him. Eventually Naruto had jumped on the giant arms to use them as a direct path to his friend. This turned out to be a horrid idea, because Choji didn't snap his arm back to his main body, instead his skin bubbled and released a horde of Gluttons, fiends, pests, and whatever Choji had managed to eat in his time in Hell.

So Naruto was here running as fast as he could up the massive arm. Seeing a group of Gluttons waddling down at him. Leaping over them, he turned in midair and fired off some holy blast. The blast struck the last one, causing a domino effect, where they collapsed on top of each other, falling off the arm.

He made to Choji's elbow when said giant decided to take some initiative and spew forth a stream of acid at him. Naruto blanched; when the Gluttons had done it, it had been a nuisance, but now it was a serious threat. Thinking quickly, Naruto threw his Kama blade into the crook of Choji's elbow, before running and jumping off the arm. Overhead the acid soared, inadvertently scorching some of Choji's skin. When the chain reached the end of it's length, Naruto's momentum kept pulling the chain. But the Kama blade stayed inside Choji's arm. This meant that when Naruto swung under Choji's arm, he pulled the bladed with him. The blade, which Naruto had unconsciously pumped chakra into, burned and cauterized as it went. When Naruto had spun all the way around the arm, and landed back where he started, he realized that the arm was only just staying on. This gave Naruto an idea. He was pretty sure it would work, since whatever damage he did to his friend as a demon could be fixed in the purification process. Pumping chakra into his legs, Naruto set his sights on his friends other arm, and leapt off with all his might. He could feel the arm start to give way under him. About halfway to the other arm, Choji jerked his head forward, intent to tear him to shreds with his bear teeth. Knowing he had to increase his speed fast, Naruto turned in mid-air, and fired off a horse sized blast holy chakra. The blast was powerful enough to shoot him out of harms way, just as Choji's teeth slammed shut with a loud crack. The blast though, continued onward, slamming into the larger boy's already lose arm with the force of a freight train. The holy chakra, combined with the power of the blast, fully separated the arm from the body; leaving it to fall like a giant tree to the muddy earth.

Naruto landed on the opposite arm in time to see Choji cry out in agony at his lost arm. Their was surprisingly little blood, as the Kama and Holy Blast had cauterized the wound. Seeing the behemoth distracted, and knowing he couldn't pull the same trick off again, Naruto ran as fast as his legs could carry him up to the shoulder. Then, bracing himself for what he had to do, he leapt like a pro-diver straight into Choji's ear.

Choji snapped his head up instantly at the inner invasion. He shook his head, and slapped his ear, trying to force the smaller ninja out. Inside, Naruto was navigating his way deep into the inner-ear. Soon, Naruto found what he was looking for, the ear drum. Saying a silent apology to his friend, Naruto fired up his Medallion.

Outside Choji began to scream in agony as pain exploded from within his own head. He yelled and hollered loud enough for the whole circle to hear, and beat his head viscously to stop the pain. Soon, blood leaked from his massive ear, and the world became quite on that side of Choji. He'd gone deaf! And Naruto was still inside!

Naruto frowned, he didn't want to cause anymore pain, but he needed Choji down long enough for him to be purified. Eventually he wondered behind a massive white orb. Naruto's eyes widened as he realized that this was one of Choji's eyes. Following the optic nerve back to the brain, Naruto found his target. No, he wasn't going to attack the brain. Even with a holy healing coming, Naruto wasn't going to risk firing shots of energy at his buddy's brain willy-nilly. Instead, he aimed at the skull surrounding the brain, causing the mother of all headaches for his friend outside.

Choji could hardly take it anymore, he felt like his head was going to explode! Finally the pain proved to be to much and, like a collapsing mountain, Choji the Glutton fell.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

From there things had gotten much easier for Naruto. He'd walked back out the way he came, and proceeded to heal his rather heavily injured friend. Inwardly Naruto winced, he'd had to to a lot more damage to Choji then he'd done to either Ino or Lee. He only hoped that the others wouldn't be as difficult. He really hated having to do this to his precious people. Eventually the white glow of his Amulet had covered all of Choji's body, and he began to shrink back to normal size. Soon, Choji was the size of a normal Glutton. Then, the layers of filth and gunk peeled away along with his demonic skin, like some hideous fruit. When the normal Choji stood before him, the Holy energy went to work on the injuries Naruto had done. Naruto watched as Choji's arm regrew itself in a matter of moment. He also saw a few sparks sink into Choji's ear, most likely to repair the damage to his hearing.

Finally the process was done, and regular Choji stood before him. Choji groaned and opened his eyes. Blinking away the rapidly fading pain, he looked around, his eyes landing on Naruto. _"I'm back to normal"_ it wasn't a question, Choji just sat there, staring at his hands. _"Is this real?" _he asked, hoping that this wasn't some cruel hallucination. Naruto nodded, a light grin on his face. "That right Choji, and it's time for you to-" he stopped as he saw Choji turn over and retch. His eyes were wide with panic, his breath shallow. _"Oh Kami! Those people… I __**ate**__ all those people!" _he cried, the full horror of what he'd done in his demon form coming back to him in a flash. _"What have I done!" _he wept, not being able to take it all in. He turned to Naruto _"What happened to all the souls I ate?" _he asked Naruto, a note of desperation in his voice. Naruto wasn't sure how to answer that question. He was about to tell Choji that frankly he had no idea, when words entered his head. Knowing that these were the words of Kami, Naruto spoke them to Choji. "For the time you were a demon, you took the place of the Demon Cerberus" he said, making Choji's eyes widen. "When you were purified, the souls you had consumed were given a second judgment. Those who have successfully served their penance, will now be moved on to purgatory to continue their spiritual journey. Those who had not will find themselves back in the circle of Gluttony soon enough." he finished. Choji wiped the tears from his eyes, _"Is that true?" _he asked, his voice filled with hope. Naruto grinned "Oh course it is! Kami herself told me! And if you don't believe me, you can ask her yourself!" he said raising the amulet, and opening the Portal of Redemption. Choji stood up and enveloped Naruto in a back breaking bear-hug. _"Thank you Naruto, I can't thank you enough!" _he turned toward the Portal _"Hurry up and finish you mission Naruto! I don't want to have to eat all of Paradises ramen by myself!" _Naruto laughed. "You can count on me!" Naruto stopped and forced himself to be serious for a moment. "Choji I have two questions for you before you go." he said, the tone in his voice making Choji's smile fade. "One: Do you know what happened to Cerberus? Two: Where the heck is the exit to this stupid circle?" he yelled out his last question, throughly fed up with the third circle.

Choji frowned in thought _"Well, if nothing has changed sense I got here, I believe Cerberus is still trapped over there" _he stated pointing toward the ruins of the stone hall Naruto had been in before. To Naruto's amazement, three of the four pillars were still standing. Naruto turned to Choji for explanation. _"It only makes sense now that I can think clearly" _he said, remembering back to the incident in question _"I saw that giant worm thing get blasted by this dark cloud with this strange black energy, and split it into three worms" _that made Naruto's eyes widen. Three giant demon worms. _"It seemed like they weren't as strong separately, and the cloud forced each worm into one of those pillars, and seal them up. After that, I started seeing more and more of those Zetsu creatures. I lost my own mind about that time too…. " _he trailed off sadly. Even with Naruto's assurance, he still felt badly for what he'd done. He straightened up looking around _"As for the exit, it should be right over….. there" _he said, his face falling as he realized he was pointing right at the massive Zetsu pod. Naruto grimaced, thing were never easy in hell.

Naruto thanked Choji, and with one final goodbye, Choji disappeared. Naruto turned and tried to decide what to do next. He eventually found himself being drawn toward the pillars. Something told Naruto that it would be a good idea to go help the 'Great Worm'.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

When Naruto thought 'Great Worm' he had thought of something along the lines of a very large worm. Something really big, but not particularly scary. What he didn't plan for (and at this point, he really should know better) was for a giant worm, with four large eye stalks as big as his torso, and a giant mouth full of teeth shaped like massive tombstones. Their was a chain around the creatures middle, keeping it from leaving the room. When it saw him, the first thing it tried to do was eat him. Dodging to the left, he saw the monster's head slam into the silvery wall of energy that marked the passage to the outside. Instead of passing through, it bounced off, the chain glowing an angry red and spewing sparks. This in turn made the creature made and all the more desperate to consume Naruto.

As it made dive for Naruto, he was forced to jump on it's head to avoid being slammed into the wall. Using chakra he managed to glue himself to the top of the head, just as Cerberus started to buck like a wild bull. Eventually it became so great that Naruto reached out and grabbed onto the beast's eyestalk. Realizing what he'd done, Naruto got ready for the beast to become wild and furious. But it didn't. It seemed to calm down, it's movement becoming less frantic. Naruto had no idea what was going on, until he saw that the Amulet was glowing. Taking it out, he found that the closer the amulet got the the eye, the calmer Cerberus became. He honestly didn't know why, until a voice filled his head _"Because he senses the presence of his maker" _the voice said. Naruto's eyes widened for what felt like the millionth time that hour. "Kami? How?" he asked. Not that he wasn't happy that the deity had come to the rescue, he was just curious. The voice emanated from his amulet, and seemed to chuckle at him _"I am channeling my power through it of for why…. I aim to help both you and Cerberus. You seek to pass through this circle, and he needs to be returned to his position as overseer of the Gluttons." _the voice explained. _"Normally I wouldn't interfere, but I felt that the two of you fighting would be counter productive." _"Okay, I get that" Naruto said "But how do you expect us to work together? He's likely to eat me as soon as I turn my back on him!" he finished, a little exasperated. _"Simple"_ the Kami answered _"Place my amulet on him." _she commanded. Naruto obeyed, placing the brightly glowing bobble on Cerberus' eyestalk. The amulet glowed even more brightly for a moment, before fading back to normal. Now though, on top of the worm's eye was the Uzumaki swirl. Before Naruto could ask, the Kami explained _"You see Naruto, I am the creator of all things. Even demons like Cerberus serve a purpose in the universe. Because you are on a mission given by me, I can give you access to some of my power. Not to much, for body could not handle even a thousandth of my true power. But one power I can bestow you is the ability to influence certain creatures. For instance, didn't you find it strange that you were able to control that Hell Beast in Limbo so easily? That was a sample of this power. It will not work on all the creatures of Hell, the demons and the fiends. As they are capable of higher thought, they are outside your control. But creatures such as the Hell-Beast, or in this case, Cerberus; are more animalistic. This allows you to take brief control over them. While Cerberus is more intelligent then the Hell-Beasts, he will need your guidance for the task at hand. You will need to free him, and his other bodies, and use them to destroy the usurper Zetsu." _Now that was all a lot for Naruto to take in, and through it all, he just had to ask "If you have so much power, why do you need me? Couldn't you save my friends yourself with a snap of your fingers?" Naruto didn't like that train of thought. That his whole journey could have been taken care of by Kami in an instant. The voice sighed _"Their are many rules to the universe Naruto. That would be too great an interference in the balance of power. I can aid you, give you powers and weapons, but you… __**you**__ must make the journey Naruto. I cannot make it for you." _Naruto sighed as well, satisfied by the answer. It wasn't that he wanted to keep going through Hell, he just wanted to know that it wasn't a pointless endeavor.

Turning around he quickly blasted the chains away from the worm's body, freeing it. Cerberus quickly shot through the force field, free for the first time likely a long time. Naruto tried to steer it toward the next portal, but it refused to go. Kami provided the answer to his unasked question _"Cerberus will not fight itself Naruto. You must do that. Do not worry, Cerberus will wait out here for you. When you have rescued all three, they will merge. Then Cerberus will summon the Gorger Worms, it's faithful servants, and you will proceed onward to Zetsu. Good Luck Naruto" _and with that final piece of advise, Kami's voice faded from his mind. For a moment Naruto worried that control over Cerberus would slip too, but the Uzumaki mark stayed strong. So Nauruto hopped off as Cerberus waited in the nearby field, snacking on a few of the souls that were trapped in the mud. Turning from the spectacle, Naruto walked into the next portal.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

If Naruto had thought for a moment that getting control of the other two Cerberus heads would be easy, then he was sorely mistaken. The second head seemed even more aggressive then the first. It would lash out in quick precise strikes, more like a snake then a worm. Luckily, the answer came to Naruto in a brief bit of inspiration. Using a shadow clone substitution and the smoke the jutsu gave off, Naruto was able to sneak underground beneath the worm. When the beast lashed out and destroyed his clone, he blasted a beam of Holy Chakra straight upward. The blast stunned the head long enough for Naruto to leap onto it and take control. After he set it free, he set about getting the last head.

That final head must have been the leader of the three. That was the only way Naruto could explain the bizarre level of intelligence it possessed when compared to its brothers. It absolutely refused to charge Naruto. Instead it hung back in the far corner of the room, spitting wads of glowing green acid at him. The closer he got the faster it would fire the acid. It was really a puzzle, one Naruto would have to use all his intellect to solve. 'Ah screw it' Naruto thought. He was never one for puzzles anyway. Instead he used two waves of clones. The first catapulted him through the air toward the head. The second covered him, protecting him from the acid venom blast. By then he was so close he knew it wouldn't be able to fire another one in time. So it didn't. Instead the head finally lashed out and swallowed him. Well, it tried anyway. Naruto had already done this once in his first chunin exam, and he wasn't going to go through it again. But since he knew he couldn't kill the damn worm, he just started firing holly chakra at random. The head was in so much pain that lashed about, slammed its head against the wall, and knocked itself out. Climbing out of its maw, and using Holy chakra to dry himself off, Naruto finally took control of the last Cerberus.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Watching the Cerberus heads merge together had been weird. They had wrapped around each other, like snakes coiling around prey. But then their was a flash of light, and a loud bang, and where once their stood three worms, their was now only one. The middle head bent down for Naruto to hop on, which Naruto obliged. When the head had raised itself the three heads turned to the fields of Gluttony and roared. But it wasn't the roar of hunger, which would have been normal for them. And it wasn't the roar an animal gives to a challenger. No, this was the roar of a king calling his subjects. And soon, the ground rumbled, as up from the earth came the Gorger worms. In appearance, they look a great deal like a Cerberus head, though they didn't seem to have eyes. They were also about the same size as the faux Zetsu.

The Great Worm spoke to it's people with a series of guttural grows and barks, before turning its head in the direction of the giant pod on the edge of it's kingdom. The Gorger worms understood: It was time to take out the invaders. It was time for the usurper to die. Then in a great swinging movement, Cerberus turned itself to face the pod. Naruto got the impression that now would be a good time to hang on. He was right, because the next instant Cerberus shot across the plain, his horde of Gorger Worms following close behind. As they approached the pod, Naruto tried to think of something, anything that he would be able to do. He only had a vague idea at the moment, which he conveyed to Cerberus as best he could. Naruto could only pray that his legendary luck, and a bit of help from Kami, would allow him to win again this time.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It didn't happen until about a mile from the pod. Suddenly, it spilt right down the center, the two halves falling away. These were the jagged plant like protrusions of Zetsu. In the center of the gigantic venus flytrap was the one true Zetsu. His arms were crossed over his chest, like he'd been inside a coffin. He seemed to have lost his legs, as only his upper body was present. He was even larger then Choji had been, his skin still the same black and white it had been. His eyes glowed as bright as stars as he stared down at the approaching army. _"Naruto __**Uzumaki!" **_he called out, his voice filled to the brim with madness. _"We knew y__**ou would be **__back! And look __**you brought **__us a __**FEAST!" **_he cried, throwing his arms out wide. From the ground burst an army of Zetsu that almost put to shame the one that had formed on Earth. Naruto steeled himself, the battle was about to begin.

As soon as the two armies clashed Cerberus immediately spilt into three. The move was just in time as they separated to avoid being smashed by the true Zetsu's massive fist. The left head of Cerberus lashed up and took chunk from Zetsu's wrist, which bleed green chlorophyl. As the head munched on the bloody plant flesh, Naruto got the distinct feeling that Cerberus was enjoying the long missed vegetation to its diet.

As Naruto looked around he witnessed a similar scene. The Zetsu and the Gorger Worms lashing out in feeding frenzy. Naruto almost felt bad for any poor soul with luck bad enough to be caught between them down there. Naruto watched as the giant Zetsu was focusing on trying to catch the separated head of Cerberus without much luck. Naruto saw that while he could spawn his own army, and had gained massive strength, like a plant he was rooted to the ground. That fact was probably the only thing that had kept him from overrunning everything in sight.

The right head of Cerberus separated from the main body to go provide aid to the other head, while Naruto summoned an army of his own to go and try and burn away at Zetsu's roots with their Ninjatos and Amulets. When Zetsu was sufficiently distracted, the main head of Cerberus sped around behind Cerberus. Here the fighting was much less severe, as all of the Gorger Worms and not-Zetsus were busy up front. Just ahead Naruto could see the exit of the third circle, covered up by vines and roots. To get past, Zetsu would have to die in order for his plants to wither.

Apparently the clones had been sufficiently distracting as the other heads of Cerberus came speeding around Zetsu's other side. Naruto felt his heart beat fast, he knew he only had a short amount of time to enact his plan. After all, one doesn't just lose track of a giant worm for long. Nodding his head to the other Cerberus, they merged quickly back into their three headed form. They had never tried to do what Naruto had asked of them, but they were willing to try.

Coiling in on itself, the Great Worm Cerberus tensed all of it's muscles, before launching itself sky high. At the peak of it's flight, they were only about half way up Zetsu's back. Seeing this, the Cerberus enacted Naruto's hastily thought up plan. The right head un-merged itself from the main body, and pointed itself toward the ground. At the last moment it was still connected to the main body, it tensed and launched itself toward the ground. It hit the earth with the force of a meteor strike, and burrowed quickly into the ground on impact. This leap also had the effect of launching the now significantly lighter Cerberus even higher into the air. Naruto couldn't help but grin, this had actually worked. He only hoped it would work a second time. When they finally were level with the back of Zetsu's neck, the left head went the way of the right, blasting it's way back to the earth. Naruto got the feeling of relief when it jumped down. Naruto figured that the worm-like creature probably had an instinctual fear of highest. Finally they had cleared the massive Zetsu, and Naruto positioned himself for his jump. Turning in midair was hard for the large worm, but some how it was able to move it's head in the direction Naruto wanted. Giving Cerberus the signal, Naruto launched off of it with a powerful chakra enhanced leap. In doing so he pushed the last Cerberus head back downward toward the safety of the earth.

From here, Naruto worried that his plan may not work like he'd hoped. Why? It was at that point that Zetsu looked up at him, grinned and brought his arms up and slapped his hands together, like one who has just swatted a fly. Naruto certainly felt like all of his bones might shatter, and it was only the thick layer of chakra around him that kept him from being killed instantly. Outside of the hands, he could here Zetsu laughing at him. Mocking him. And if their was one thing Naruto couldn't stand, it was being mocked. _"What was all__** that about Uzumaki? **__Was that rea__**lly your b**__ig plan? Fool! __**You'll die **__having accomplished not__**hing." **_he roared to his cupped hands. Zetsu had never felt this good.

When his hands grew warm, he wasn't worried, he just figured that the fool was still trying some futile escape plan. Frankly Zetsu was surprised the boy was still alive. When his hands started to smoke however, that was when he began to lose his feelings of good cheer.

In a massive blast, the plant man's hands were burned away, as Naruto channeled every once of power he had into his Ninjato. The blade lit up like a stack of fireworks, easily cutting through the plant flesh. Naruto locked eyes onto Zetsu's, and Zetsu saw death in those eyes. Before the ruined hands fell away completely Naruto channeled a mix of his holy chakra into his body, specifically his legs. The pure chakra began work healing his body, but also gave him the boost he needed for a massive jump.

As he flew straight at the wide eyed Zetsu he raised his Ninjato high. Just before contact he pumped in every once of Holy, Unholy, and his own Chakra that he could. The blade's glow went supernova, the mixture blinding everyone anywhere near the battle field.

And then Naruto struck. The Ninjato entered with enough force to throw Zetsu's head back from the force of the blow. The chakra entered his system, the unnatural mix burning him from the inside out. But it wasn't over yet. Naruto continued the swing, forcing the blade downward. The blade obliged, continuing the cut straight down Zetsu. The slash went down Zetsu right in the middle, where his white and black sides met. When the blade went through his chest, Zetsu felt his vision blur, as his eyes started to pick up two different images. This was because, at that moment, Zetsu began to fall apart. His white half falling one way, the black half the other. The strange blade of chakra that Naruto had unleashed had cut Zetsu completely in half. Naruto hit the ground hard, and leapt back, ignoring the pain to admire his handy work. The white part of Zetsu's face looked astonished at what had happened, while the black part looked horrified. Soon, both sides crashed to earth, shaking the very ground like an earthquake. The only part of the plant man of the Akatsuki still attached together was the venus fly trap at the bottom.

Naruto turned and surveyed the battle field. It seemed that with their master disposed of, they had become brittle and weak. While they still maintained some sentience, they were now no match for the still hungry Gorger Worms. He turned his head back to Zetsu and frowned. It seemed the man just didn't want to die. He was vines from both side connecting with each other, trying desperately to pull the two massively heavy parts back together. He was almost worried for a moment, until he saw Cerberus leap from the earth like a rocket, and throw itself into the barely recovering body of Zetsu. The worm seemed to enjoy Zetsu so much that it just had to have some more. And now that Zetsu couldn't fight back, it could feast to it's hearts content. Naruto watched as more and more of the Gorger worms made their way over and into the carcass of Zetsu. Naruto realized he had nothing to worry about. With the way Cerberus and the Gorger Worms ate, Zetsu would likely never rise again.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

While there were no tearful goodbyes as Naruto left Gluttony, he was still given a proper send off. Cerberus, who had made his new "nest" inside of Zetsu's rapidly hollowing body, nuzzled his great head against Naruto for a brief moment, acting for all the world like a giant house pet. Naruto turned and made his way over to the exit of Gluttony, the bramble having been taken care of by a happy horde of Gorger Worms. Turning around, he waved farewell to his large new friend. The Cerberus stood and waved all three of it's massive heads in a bizarre imitation of his wave.

And with that final strange image in his head, Naruto left the Third Circle of Gluttony, ready to make his way deeper into hell, and into the Fourth Circle.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Not long after Naruto had left Gluttony a shadow formed near the base of the dead Zetsu. Quickly, the shadow shaped itself, and began to walk into the body. For some reason, all the Gorger Worms and even the Cerberus ignored it's presence, as if it was somehow invisible to them. Looking around at the damage, the figure found what it was looking for: the remains of Zetsu's heart. Searching through the hunks of flesh that once made up the organ, the figure spotted a little patch of earth. That patch of earth was stained a dark forest green by Zetsu's blood. And in that patch, was a little plant sprout, no bigger then a man's thumb. Carefully gathering the surrounding dirt, the figure picked up the sprout and held it in hand. Squinting, he was able to make out a few details of the plant. For it wasn't just any plant. It was a baby venus flytrap. The trap split open, to reveal a tiny Zetsu, peaking out at the world after feeling his new body shake. Upon seeing the figure, it began to shake _"No __**impossible! **__We __**watched **__you__** die!" **_the Zetsu cried in a voice that was both high pitched, and full of fear. It struggled in vain to escape the figure, who just grinned an unseen grin. _**"There's no need to fear me…." **_the figure spoke, his voice light and almost goofy sounding. Something very out of place in Hell. _**"After all…." **_the figure continued, as it started to disappear, along with Zetsu _**"Toby is a good boy!" **_

**End Chapter 3**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura

**Kaiza

**Hanabi

**Lust: **Ino (Absolved)

Jiraiya (Absolved)

Orochimaru (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

**Ebisu

**Anko

**Mei Terumi

**Gluttony: **Choji (Absolved)

Zetsu (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Jirobou (Punished)_

_**Homura (Punished) _

**Greed: **

**Anger: **

**Heresy**

**Violence: **

**Fraud: **

**Treachery:**

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Kakuzu, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Pein, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Kiba, Shino, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Tsunade**

And so Naruto has made his journey through the Plains Of Gluttony. But while Naruto has saved an old friend and made a new one, not all is well. Forces gather together, to form something truly terrible.

Next Time: Naruto is barely halfway there, and that really bugs him. Don't worry Naruto, someone in Greed will help you pull yourself together. All he asks is that you give him your heart. And if that doesn't work out for you….

_"Ah, what's wrong Naruto? Why don't you come give your Grandma a hug?" _

**AN: And that's the end of Gluttony. I hope the fight scene turned out okay. Again, really sorry that this took so long, but it had to be done. If you enjoyed this, let me know. Until Next Time... **_  
_


	5. Greed

**Well everyone, I hope I didn't make you wait too long. I know that it's taking me longer to put out each chapter, but that's only because I want to give you all the best I can. I'm also trying to make each circle unique, and not just Dante's Inferno, but with Naruto in it. So I made a few changes to Greed. For one thing, the level of Greed is mainly one of platforming puzzles. Now can you honestly tell me that Naruto is the type to work out puzzles? Not likely. Another thing I change was something that always bothered me whenever I played the game. I've created new monsters/demons to go into the circle. In the game, it's at this point that they just start sending the same types of enemies at you over and over again. Even ones from other circles! Why are Temptresses and Gluttons in Greed? Never explained. So I got rid of them, in favor of more... appropriate foes. I hope you like them. **

**Once again, the number of favorites and alerts for this story have risen, which I think is AWESOME! Keep it up people. Those of you who already have, go forth and tell your friends, your readers, everyone you can to come to my story and read it! Soon I will have the greatest story this website has ever seen! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**On an unrelated note, I found an online Inferno quiz, and it said I would most likely be sent to this circle. I have no idea why. Anyway, let's answer some reviews from those of you who wrote in shall we? **

**death Nightwalker666: Sorry, Sasuke's not in this circle, but good guesses otherwise. **

**XKhaosXKyuubiX: Yes, you did call it. But I'm afraid I can only give you partial credit, as you only guessed two of the three encounters. **

**tediz-leader: Umm... I wasn't going for God Of War 3, but if you say so... As for Heresy... I've got it covered. **

**J.T: Thank you. You know, you're not the first person to say that, and now that I think about it, he just might. But only as a shade, nobody major. As to the other part of your question: Some parts are correct. Others are not (Shino, Pein, and Tenten). That's all I'm saying... for now... **

**Baron Von Nobody: Oh, believe me, for Naruto, they certainly will. As for your two ideas: For Anger, I don't think it'll work out quite that way. For Greed: Not bad, I have incorporated part of that here, and the rest will be resolved in a later chapter. Thanks! **

**Dark Lord Namikaze: Well thank you. Yes, as I write this, there are only four other stories in the same section as mine. Most of them haven't been updated in months. After this story is eventually completed, I may try out a few more lesser known crossovers. As for reviews, please feel free. **

**airnaruto45: I try to update when I can, but writing does take a while. Also, more often then I'd like, the real world tends to rear its head. But I do try. As for what you guessed about Sakura... I hadn't thought of that, but I'm afraid that that isn't exactly what I have planned for her. **

**Madness Abe: Yes, people keep telling me she wasn't evil, so things may be looking up for her. As for the major plan and the evil behind it all... not telling. On a different note, you are the first person to think that that person will be in suicide. Good for you. As for the Kages: The Hokages (with the glaring exception of Tsunade) are all inside the Death God, because all of them used or were effected by, that Reaper Death Seal. So, they won't appear in this story. As for Kages of other nations, I believe Mei, the Mizukage was a Shade in Lust, if that counts. More may come, perhaps. Obito? I don't know. Dante: Probably not, but hey, you never know. **

**And that's all for now, please keep on reading and reviewing. Also, at the end of this chapter, please read the AN for an important question. Now, with approximately 17,629 words, it's time for:  
**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As Naruto walked down the dark tunnel, he noted how quickly the air around him was heating up. It wasn't the heat of Fire Country, which was more of a balmy summers day. This was more of a dry heat, much like the inside of a furnace. Oddly enough, this was the first circle that actually seemed to follow the belief in fire and brimstone. Limbo had no weather at all, and Lust had been chilly due to the high levels of wind. Gluttony seemed to have the most normal weather, not to hot or cold, with an occasional breeze. But the fourth circle seemed almost stiflingly hot, and he wasn't even there yet!

Suddenly the tunnel ended, revealing a large room. The only light came through what may have been a large stain glass window, which filtered in a light that made everything look yellow and orange. Naruto could here something flowing, but it was too dark to make out what and from where. Seeing Kyubi standing off in the corner, Naruto made to approach her.

About halfway toward her, Naruto felt his eyes drawn upward. Halting, Naruto stared up at a strange figure. He couldn't see their face through the heavy cloak they were using covered most of the figures body. The figured breathed deeply, the sound loud and scratchy. "Who are you!" He called out to the figure, wondering if this was a new friend or foe. Naruto blinked, and just as suddenly as the figure had appeared, they had vanished. Shaking off the uneasy feeling he'd gotten from the figure, Naruto approached the Kyubi

Kyubi turned to him, though Naruto thought he saw her eyes shift to where the figure had stood. Before Naruto could question her as to the identity of the person, she began to inform him about the fourth circle. _"For the crime of Greed do these souls suffer. Those close, or squint of mind made no measured spending in life. And by contrast, these popes and cardinals, Greed practiced it's excess." _

Naruto nodded. Okay, the fourth circle was Greed, good to know. "But what happens to these two different sides?" he was curious about how Hell would deal with two very different groups of people who had committed the same type of sin.

Kyubi raised an eyebrow at his question, but shrugged it off _"Some rise from the grave with closed fist, others with cropped hair. Ill-giving and ill-keeping, both have robbed them of the fair world." _ she explained, then she turned and prepared to depart.

Naruto stopped her, for he had more questions "Kyubi wait! Who was the weird-o from before? Do I know them?" Kyubi just glanced over her shoulder at him, but did not answer. She merely walked away, swaying her hips; her red backside looking orange in the fourth circle's light. Then she vanished before Naruto could ask her again. Suppressing the desire to strangle the fox, Naruto just sighed and prepared to make his way.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto quickly leapt over some stones that were banging together. They seemed to be part of some giant machine, though what that machine was supposed to do, Naruto had no idea. Since it was in Hell, Naruto was going to say that it wasn't anything pleasant.

Finally Naruto made it to the edge of a giant glowing vat. As it seemed the only way across would be the two platforms floating in the vat, Naruto prepared to jump across. But before he did, he looked down and got a good look at what was being held in the vat. It was filled with **GOLD!** Gallons and gallons of liquid gold! Having been relatively poor growing up, Naruto had never had a great deal of money. So seeing all this gold in one place was enough to make his eyes go wide with dollar signs.

But before he could think of a way to siphon off some of this gold for himself, he took a second look over what exactly was in the gold. What he saw instantly drained all color from his face. Floating in the gold were countless shades, bobbing helplessly in the boiling mixture. Whenever they raised their arms to cry for help, the gold which covered them would cool unnaturally fast, and cause them to sink back below the glistening lava.

Naruto backed up so fast he nearly flew over the edge into the abyss. Dear Kami, this looked like the worst punishment imaginable, and this was only the fourth circle? Shuddering and trying not to look down, Naruto hopped across the two platforms, and onto a third which carried him up and away from the vat.

Arriving at the top he saw that the whole vat was topped with a cage like lid. In the center was a single lever. Now, that instantly put Naruto on alert. Nothing good ever came from pulling a strange looking lever. Looking around, Naruto saw that the path continued a little to his left, but it would require quite a jump. Maybe if he pulled the lever, the gap would be filled in? Nah. He'd much rather just use his ninja training to leap over it.

Just as he was about to however, he heard a loud clanking noise. Turning around, he saw that a fiend had appeared and had pulled the lever for him. Immediately afterwards, a large vat of molten gold tipped over and started to pour its contents into the vat Naruto was standing on. In moments, it would likely fill to the brim with the deadly contents. Not only that, but a bunch of flying insect demons, along with the regular demons and fiends had appeared to keep him from getting away.

Naruto rubbed his forehead, he so did not have time for these guys. With a few quick blasts from his Medallion, he destroyed the flyers. Then channeling holy chakra into his legs, he took a running start and leapt to the other side of the bridge. Turning back, he laughed at the dumbfounded looks the demons and fiends were giving him. They clearly hadn't thought he would simply not fight them. The stood there staring so long in fact, that the vat finally filled up with the molten gold and began to overflow, which killed the still dumb struck demons.

Shaking his head at the stupidity of the lesser demons of Hell, Naruto continued on his way.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto jumped over a set of giant gears when he heard the call of a shade. Using his year of shinobi training, he was able to leap from gear to gear, to land right next to the weeping female shade. At first Naruto wasn't sure he knew this one. After squinting at her for a minute, Naruto finally placed her as Taki, the daimyo of the Land of Birds. It was likely that since the are was between the Land of Wind and Earth, her land had been attacked during the middle years of the war, when the two sides were at a relative standstill. _"Oh, it's you Naruto. How are you? Have you seen my brother? I can't seem to find him…." _Taki's voice trailed off.

Naruto remembered that her brother, Sagi he thought the name was, had been dead for years. Frankly, he was more curious as to how Taki had ended up in Hell. When he'd left her, she'd been fine and dandy, ready to serve her people. Peering into her soul, Naruto saw that Taki had inadvertently been a waster. She had spent her villages money up faster then it could be recollected. She hadn't spent it on herself, but on attempts to please her civilians. In the end, her inexperience had lead to her nearly bankrupting the town. Sighing, Naruto decided that that wasn't enough of a reason to be condemned. Raising his medallion he cleansed her of her transgressions.

Her broken form of death disappeared, revealing her standing in the daimyo robes she had worn in life. She smiled ruefully at Naruto as she began to disappear. _"Hmm…. that makes the second time you've saved me Naruto. When this is all over, I think I'm going to have to come up with a way to…. show my gratitude." _she giggled and vanished, leaving a slightly blushing Naruto.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After leaping down from the giant cogs, Naruto found himself before a large rusty door. Kicking it in, Naruto walked into a large empty room. Walking into it, Naruto saw the ground bubble up as a new demon emerged: The Hoarder-Waster. It was actually two different demons melted together at the hip. Seeing Naruto, the pulled a large golden mace from the shadows, and began to spin it around. And around. And around. Soon the creature became a miniature whirlwind as it spun uncontrollably around the room.

Naruto leaped over the deadly top and blasted Holy energy at it. But the monster was spinning so fast that the chakra actually bounced off of it. When the demon struck the opposite wall it stopped it's rotations, clearly exhausted. Seeing a golden opportunity, Naruto fired a powerful blast at it. The creature dropped the mace as it slammed into the wall, before shattering into hundreds of gold pieces.

Sighing, Naruto thought for a brief moment that the battle hadn't been very hard. Right after thinking that Naruto smacked himself for jinxing the moment. Turns out he was right too, because right then a new batch of three demons crawled down from the walls. But they weren't there for Naruto, they were there for the gold coins the Hoarder-Waster had dropped.

Spotting Naruto, one of the golden colored creatures hissed at Naruto, eyeing him with distaste _"Get back! Is my treasure now! Stay away!" _it bit out at him, clutching the gold coins to it's chest like a baby. The others yelled out similar remarks, with a great yelling and gnashing of teeth. One of the thee however, spied his glowing medallion _"That medallion…. gives it to us! We wants it!" _Then the others locked onto the holy relic too, all of them eyeing it with great desire.

Naruto took a step back, quickly realizing that these demons must be the Hoarders. Well Naruto had no intention of giving Kami's amulet to the first set of freaks who asked for it. The Hoarders seemed to realize that as well, as they seemed to get angrier by the minute. One of them got so made that it threw back it's arms and screamed. When it did, it revealed that it's cheats was actually a hollowed out cavity used for storing gold. But Naruto soon found himself unable to examine it further as suddenly a great vacuum sprung from the Hoarders chest and started sucking him toward it. Soon the two other Hoarders were doing the same thing. Naruto saw that they weren't trying to get him specifically, they just wanted his stuff. Well, while he wouldn't give them the medallion, there was one thing he would let them have.

Making sure he had a firm grasp on the chain, Naruto threw his Ninjato like a spear into the vacuum of the first Hoarder. The suction added speed to the already deadly throw, and the Ninjato struck the greedy bastard with the force of a sledgehammer, nailing it to the wall behind it. It struck with such force that it actually dislodged some of the gold coins from it's chest cavity, causing the cursed gold to fall to the ground.

Catching sight of the falling gold out of the corner of their eyes, the two other Hoarders stopped their attack immediately to fall upon the lost gold. Despite their companion crying out for them to release his property and help him down at once, they paid no heed. The three of them were so distracted by the few gold coins that they never saw Naruto fire the horse sized blast of Holy Chakra that reduced them to all to gold dust. Shaking his head at what might have been the most annoying demons yet, Naruto leap up to the door that for some reason was halfway up the wall, and walked out of the room.

He did this, completely and unknowingly disregarding any puzzle solving element the room had. Sometimes it's great to be a ninja.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Making his way down the hall, Naruto spotted Kyubi, leaning against the wall, buffing her nails. Slightly annoyed with her lax attitude, Naruto approached her. Looking up at his approach, she gave him a brief nod before standing up. _" All the Earth's treasure that is beneath the moon or ever was cannot give relief to these weary souls." _she shook her head, filled with thoughts on the stupidity of human kind._ "What a mockery is made of the brief battle for possessions that makes so short a life." _she asked more to herself then to Naruto.

Naruto didn't really know how to respond to that. He'd never really taken into account the effects greed could have on a person. Yeah, he remembered Gato, but he seemed to be more of an exception then the rule. "I don't recognize anyone here." he said. And it was true, aside from Taki, he Naruto hadn't encountered any soul he recognized yet. In the other levels, he would normally have been beset by someone he knew by now. Well, except for that cloaked figure. Naruto wasn't really sure who that was.

Kyubi just smirked at him, the looked made all the more cruel by the fangs that poked out from her mouth. She chuckled at him _"You harbor vain thoughts. The undiscerning life that made them foul, now makes them dim." _she said, which really just made Naruto even more confused. But, as usual Kyubi just turned to vapor, so Naruto just shrugged and went on his way; pondering the strange words of his demonic benefactor.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After jumping through the door Naruto took a quick walk down a hall and ended up riding an elevator down deeper into the circle. Arriving, he saw a room with what looked like a giant fan in it. The blades were positioned over the various platforms in the room. At the other end of the room a demon rider spotted Naruto. Screeching in fright, the demon pulled a lever next to it, activating the large fan. The blades began to rotate over the platforms, meaning that if Naruto wanted to get to the other side, he would have to avoid getting sliced.

Or, Naruto thought, he could just go under the blades. Looking down Naruto saw a large pit. It wasn't very deep, and it spanned the length of the room. Naruto figured he'd just go under the big fan.

But things are never that easy. As soon as he feet hit the ground, a Hoarder-Waster appeared. Not only that, but a swarm of insect demons showed up as well. Naruto raised an eyebrow at that. Were those things just in every circle of the Inferno?

Shrugging it off, Naruto leapt into the air and destroyed the bugs with his Ninjato. A few tried to fly around to flank him, but his Kama blade took care of them before anything became of their plan.

While still in the air, Naruto channeled energy into his amulet and slammed it into the ground. The shockwave blew the Hoarder-Waster back before it could start spinning. When he landed, Naruto lassoed his chain around the creature's leg and pulled hard. The monster stumbled backwards and fell right into a pull of flowing molten gold, destroying it instantly.

Glad to have finished the demons Naruto prepared to make his way past the fan, when he noticed something. Next to the flowing river was a small electric chair. Surrounding the chair were blades and saws and other instruments of torture. But the weird thing was…. the chair was empty. Judging by the dead bodies lying around it, and the small patches of blood on it, something had been in the chair. Glancing at the base of the chair, saw the strange cryptic language that had been above Hell's gate. Using his medallion to translate, Naruto saw that it was a name plaque. And the name was Gato! The greedy bastard that had been the cause of the Wave mission!

Naruto wondered if maybe Gato had gained power in Hell, and had somehow broken free, but his Amulet informed him otherwise. By concentrating on specific people, Naruto found that he could detect the presence of shades, demons, etc. As he concentrated, Naruto noted that he could sense remnants of Gato's shade energy from the chair. He could also sense a larger demonic energy that seemed out of place with the rest of the energy of Greed. From what Naruto could guess, Gato had been here, but something had come and taken him from his designated torture zone.

Giving it a moments thought, Naruto shrugged. It was just as well. If Naruto had found his shade, he would has destroyed it right there. Let Gato suffer, the man had certainly earned it. Looking up at the still spinning blades, Naruto caught sight of another bug demon. But before he could destroy it, it turned and flew off. Shrugging, Naruto timed his leap and jumped right past the blades. Smirking, he turned and walked right out of the room.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto could feel his eye twitching. This was really getting on his nerves.

While at first he had been worried about the walls that had started to close in on him when he turned a lever, a quick application of Shadow Clones cured it real quick. While he turned the lever, they were able to deal with the two demons. And the buzz-saws. And the **Twenty!** bug demons that flew about trying to distract him long enough for the walls to impale him. He'd finally opened a whole in the wall that he was able to run through before it was too late, but it was much to close for comfort.

Which lead to where Naruto found himself now.

Six demons and about ten fiends were glaring at him hard enough he though he might disintegrate. Add to that the massive Hell-Beast that tried to set him on fire the moment he walked in and a veritable swarm of pesky bug demons, and Naruto was sure that this was now his least favorite circle.

Naruto ran around the Hell-Beast, taking care to slash at it with his Kama blades as he past. He knew he had to focus on it, being the biggest threat in the room. He kept cutting at it's legs, before rolling out of the way at the creature preformed a perfect elbow drop on where he'd been standing.

Standing quickly he turned and launched a barraged of Holy chakra at the demons making their way toward him. Most of the demons managed to duck or dodge the worst of it, though two fiends found themselves vaporized by the blasts. Channeling Ino's magic into his blade, he unleashed a a furious "BlessedTempest" on the advancing demons. Thee demons were dispelled instantly by the sheer force of the holy magic. One demon was thrown into a wall, but managed to get back up again, though by the way it was limping, it wasn't without injury. One demon had managed to get away scott free, while the last had been thrown into the Hell-Beast. The beast responded to being struck by slamming it's tree like foot down on the demon, killing it. Naruto glanced up to see that a lot of the bug demons had flown out of range of the attack, with few if any being killed by the blast.

The Hell-Beast advanced on Naruto and he was really beginning to worry. The room only had two doors, and both were sealed. Suddenly he remembered something about his Ninjato, and the thought brought a grin to his face. Charging forward, Naruto ducked under the Hell-Beast's arm and stabbed it in the leg, channeling chakra into the sword while imagining what he wanted to happen. Naruto watched as his Ninjato's blade took on a purple sheen for a moment before dispelling. But the effect had been done, and the poison of the Kusanagi, amplified by Kami's power, was in the Hell-Beast's system.

Turning, he dared to ignore the creature for a moment to lash outwards with his Kama, the blade screeched through the air, slicing through the face of a couple of fiends, before lodging in the limping demon's side. Channeling chakra into the chain, Naruto pulled with all his might, and hurled the now burning demon into a floating mass of insects. Just before impact Naruto tugged his Kama out, and watched surprised as the demon outright exploded, taking about half the bugs with him.

A thud got Naruto's attention as he turned in time to see the Hell-Beast collapse to it's knees, the rider on top of it gibbering unintelligibly. With a final groan the beast fell earthward, crushing a fiend who had wandered too close. Running up, Naruto grabbed the stunned rider before it could pull out a tiny throwing axe to use against him. Grinning a smile that made even the demon fearful, Naruto stabbed it in the stomach with his now purple Ninjato. The rider screeched as it began to froth at the mouth, putrid smoke leaking from it's ears. Satisfied that his plan might work, Naruto channeled just a little Holy chakra into the demon (enough to act as ignition anyway) and hurled the creature like a football. Landing, the creature burst with the force of an explosive note, sending out a burning purple gas outwards and upwards. It wasn't very widespread, but it did take out the remaining demons, which was enough for Naruto.

That just left the one lucky demon and about five bug demons. Naruto had to try hard not to jinx himself as his fortune turned.

From there it was just a blast, slash, and a jump kick to victory. Looking around, Naruto tried to find the exit. The large room only had two. The way he had come in, which for Naruto was a rather unappealing option. The other, was a little door in the corner of the room. Seeing as it was the only option he had, Naruto pushed open the door, which bore a picture of an insect demon for some reason, and retreated into the room.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Inside the room Naruto found himself stunned to silence. A pile of gold, nearly as tall as the Hokage's mountain lay inside. But not just gold, jewels and treasures of all sorts were stacked far and wide. A swarm of insect flew in and out of the room, dropping even more glittering trinkets onto the pile. Approaching cautiously, Naruto scooped up a handful of gold, and looked down at it admiringly. He wanted to keep it. He wanted to stay here with it. To count it, to love it.

Shaking his head Naruto dropped the cursed gold. Inwardly Naruto shivered. That gold had tried to taint his mine, and control his thoughts.

Naruto was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard rapid footsteps behind him. Turning, Naruto jumped out of the way with wide eyes, as a double-bladed battle axe almost as big as Zabuza's legendary sword slammed into the ground. It was made of what looked like solid gold, with a shining diamond blade. Sitting between the two blades was a large ruby scarab. Looking up, Naruto saw that it was being wielded by the same figure from earlier.

The figure wasn't exactly tall, being only slightly taller then Naruto. He wore a great golden cloak about himself, obscuring most of his body. The cloak cast a deep shadow over his face, making him difficult to recognize. The only reason he knew it was a guy was because he caught site of the figure's hands on the battle axe, and was able to tell that they weren't the hands of a woman. The figure seemed to be glaring at him, as though he believed that Naruto had done some great evil. _"Stay away from there! It's my gold, you can't have it!" _the man called out, his voice a deep, somewhat strained monotone.

It was something in that tone that struck a cord with Naruto. Thinking back to when he'd come back from his mission to rescue Gaara from the Akatsuki, he recalled an encounter with another hooded individual with a monotone voice. One who had been very upset when Naruto had been unable to remember his name…..

"Shino!" He cried just as the figure raised the axe again. The figure stopped, and turned his head like he was examining Naruto.

_"Na-Naruto? Is that you?" _the figure, now identified as Shino, asked. _"Is that really you? Hold on, let me get a better look at you…." _he said, raising a hand into the air. Naruto was confused about what he was doing, until he saw a large bug demon fly down from the sky. From it's pincers it dropped two small glittering objects. Snatching them from the air, Shino pulled back his hood, revealing his face. Naruto could not stop himself from gasping at the disturbing sight. Shino had no eyes. His traditional glasses were gone, and in their place were two holes where his eyes **should **be. Another, more disturbing feature, were the two insect-like mandibles that poked out from the sides of his cheeks.

Taking the two golden objects, Shino turned away from Naruto, who heard a sicking squish sound, before he turned back to Naruto. Now, in place of eyes, Shino's sockets were occupied by two flat gold coins. They were unmarked, which meant that when Naruto looked into their eerily reflective surface, he easily saw himself reflected in them. _"It is you! But how? I thought you were able to escape the vortex?" _Shino asked, his voice taking on a bit of confusion.

Naruto let out a breath of relief, so far so good. With that in mind, he sat down on a chest of gold and began to tell Shino what had happened….

_-Naruto In Hell-_

"And that's when I found you." Naruto finished his tale, looking at the taller boy who sat against his large battle axe.

Shino just nodded his head, his eyes golden eyes hidden in shadows. "But… uh, Shino…." he asked, making the bug-nin look up at him "Can I ask you a question?" Naruto stuttered out. Naruto didn't want to be rude, but he was curious about one particular aspect of Shino's new look.

As if sensing what he wanted to ask, Shino placed a hand over one of his golden coin-eyes. _"When I first landed here, I was lost, and unsure of how to proceed. My legs were injured so I could not move. I let my guard down, and that was what caused this" _he said gesturing to his face. _"One of the demon enforcers threw a shade into one of the pots of liquid gold. The shade managed to put up a bit of a fight, and both of them went over into the drink. The demon's added mass caused a larger splash then I anticipated." _Shino continued, his hands shaking slightly. _"I couldn't get out of the way, and some of the gold splashed into my eyes, burning them away." _he clenched his fist in remembrance of the pain. _"But I found that all was not lost. Some of the demons here took the form of insects. I was able to use what little chakra I had remaining to bind them to me, and me to them. With them, I was able to see anything they saw, up to a point. I gave them my knowledge, they crafted my eyes for me." _Shino finished, pointing up at the swarm that still flew above.

Naruto nodded, slightly dumbfounded. Despite his injury, Shino seemed to have faired the best of any he had encountered so far.

Standing up, Naruto knocked some gold dust off the seat of his pants, and took out his Amulet. "Well Shino, your worries are over, I'll just go ahead and absolve you, and that'll probably fix your eyes right up." he said, as Shino also stood. But instead of walking toward Naruto, Shino walked toward the pile of gold in the center of the room, staring at intently. Naruto sniffed, and thought he caught the hint of brimstone in the air. And was it his imagination, but had a bit of black smoke just entered though Shino's back.

_"Yes" _Shino said, interrupting Naruto's thoughts. _"It will be nice to simply rest, and not have to worry about completing the mission." _Naruto raised an eyebrow at that. What mission was Shino talking about? Naruto asked, and Shino turned to him, but strangely, he was smiling! _"Right after I got control of my eyes and allies, I was offered a mission to save our friends" _he said making Naruto's eyes widen _"I… I don't remember who assigned the mission, but I do remember it being a very good deal. All I had to do was collect one hundred billion pieces of gold, and my friends and I would be set free." _Shino continued, now pacing back and forth in front of the gold, running a hand through it. _"As you can imagine, with all the Hoarders running about, this was no easy task. But I was determined, I would pay any amount for the return of my comrades." _he said, before turning to face Naruto with a flourish.

He walked toward Naruto with a spring in his step that seemed unnatural, and only stopped when he was invading Naruto's personal space bubble. _"But you've already saved some of them, and much quicker then I would have been able to, to boot. So now, you can send me onward to paradise, along with the gold I have collected, and then you can continue on your noble quest." _he finished, his voice rising in volume through his speech. Naruto didn't understand all of his somewhat creepy friend's rant, but he did know one thing.

"Shino, the Portal of Redemption doesn't work that way. Only you can go through, not the gold." He tried to explain to the other boy. "Besides, what would you do with all that gold in paradise anyway?" he asked jokingly.

But Shino didn't take it as a joke. In fact he wasn't amused in the slightest. No, judging by the clenching of his fists, he was downright angry. Finally that anger couldn't hold itself in anymore _"What do you mean I can't take it! Do you know how long it took me to get it all? What I had to do for it? And now you want me to part with it? Never!" _he cried, grabbing his battle axe with both hands. _"You say that 'the Portal doesn't work that way'? Well, clearly you aren't using it properly. But that's okay, just hand it over, and I'll figure it out myself" _he stated, his tone brooking no argument. But when Naruto made no move to place the glowing amulet in Shino's awaiting palm, Shino just grit his teeth. _"Fine! If you will not surrender the path to redemption willingly, then I shall take it from you Uzumaki!" _he said, and lunged at Naruto with his battle axe held high.

Naruto leapt back and armed himself. Somehow, he just knew this was going to happen.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto backflipped away from the overhead swing that buried the axe into the ground, and settled into a basic fighting stance. Naruto eyed Shino cautiously. He seemed to have calmed down slightly, but made no effort to hide his desire to strike Naruto down. When he'd been a berserker, his movements were much easier to predict, but now that he had settled himself, Naruto knew that Shino's logical mind, second perhaps only to Shikamaru, would make things very difficult. So Naruto knew to be on guard when Shino raised his clenched fist in the air.

_"Wasters! To me!" _he shouted to the open air. From the dimness Naruto heard a great shuffling, as a multitude of golden humanoids filled the rafters of the large room. They resembled the Hoarders, to an extent. But where the Hoarders had closed hands and beady searching eyes; the Wasters hands were slack, looking like they would be incapable of holding anything, and their eyes were wide, but glazed. When they looked down at the two battling ninjas, it was like they were seeing them, but not really.

Naruto frowned at himself, that didn't sound right. But before he could come up with a better way to describe them, Shino spoke _"That man there" _he said, pointing at Naruto _"is poor" _he spat with obvious distaste. _"But if you provide him with a bit of money, he will certainly put on a show for you…" _Shino trailed off backing away slowly.

Now the Wasters were focused completely on Naruto. As one, they raised their arms, and then flung them outward, shoving their open chest cavities at Naruto. Naruto may have expected a lot to happen, but not this. From each Wasters chest was propelled about half a dozen small gold coins. Now a thrown coin wouldn't do much damage, even to a civilian, let alone a highly trained ninja. But in great numbers, fired at the speed of a cannonball, they were bound to do some damage.

The clones Naruto summoned around him were shredded like paper before the assault. Naruto flipped away from the first volley, but he couldn't move fast enough for the second, and ended up blasted into the wall hard enough to crack the stone. After a few seconds the assault stopped, and Naruto looked up to see the Wasters panting with exhaustion. A few of them actually fainted and fell to the floor below, disintegrating when they hit the ground.

But no more time was given to see their plight, as Shino was on him like flies on trash, pinning him to the wall, his battle axe dangerously close. _"Fascinating aren't they? I've been using them to increase my wealth. A waster doesn't need much of a reason to start firing gold, but the problem is, if they give away too much, they die. So I had to be careful not to overuse them." _Shino rambled, but Naruto wasn't listening. He couldn't move much, Shino's grip was like iron, so he would have to use a different method.

Looking just over Shino's shoulder, Naruto saw where his Ninjato had fallen from his grasp. There was no way to reach it, unless…. well Kyubi had said it may exhibit more powers in the future. And if it had absorbed the poison from the Kusanagi, maybe it had also absorbed…..

Shino knew something was wrong when Naruto started to glare at something just behind him. He wasn't really worried about the sword, seeing as Naruto had no way to get to it. Suddenly he heard his insect allies call out a warning to him, but he was to close to dodge.

Naruto had managed to replicate Orochimaru's levitating sword trick. By focusing all his willpower on it, he had managed to make the sword float up, and fly blade first toward it's master. Normally this would be very hazardous to one's health, but as it turned out, Naruto had a shield already to take the blow for him.

Shino grunted as the blade pierced his spine, rendering his legs uncontrollable. He tried to lash out at Naruto while he collapsed to the ground, but the fool had managed to duck around him to grab the hilt of his sword. Shino felt a sharp kick to his back that sent him sprawling across the room, straight into his gold stack. Clearly this was going to require something special.

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief as he kept an eye on Shino's unmoving body. He was glad that had worked, because he wasn't sure what else he could have done. Glancing at his sword, Naruto sent a silent thank you to Kami for giving him such an amazingly helpful weapon.

Taking out his medallion, Naruto walked toward his friend to cure him, both of his demon form and the poison. Suddenly Shino flipped around, now lying face up and breathing heavily. His face dotted with sweat, he cast a glance at Naruto, his gold coin eyes shinning in the shadows. Shino chuckled; an unnatural sound to be sure, when he started to shake violently.

His mouth opened wide, his head thrown back, a black cloud blew its way out of Shino. His cloak tore away, to revel the hollow body beneath. The cloud buzzed angrily, and Naruto realized that these were the bugs Shino had housed within him in life. The Kikaichu swarmed around Shino's fallen body, taking care to snatch up his gold coin eyes. Like the Pied Piper of legend, the beetles seemed to call out to the surrounding demonic insects, attracting them; drawing them in. When ever one of the demons got close, the Kikaichu snatched it up, somehow making it part of the greater host swarm.

When no more bugs were left in the room, the swarm began to take shape. It wasn't long before the giant cloud took the form of a man, with two shinning gold coins marking the location of where the eyes would be. Over the thunderous noise of buzzing, a voice spoke _"It's not over yet Uzumaki, only a temporary set back." _the voice said, identifying it to still be Shino _"You didn't think it would be that easy did you?" _The creature asked mockingly. Naruto just set his face into a look of determination before responding "For a minute there…. yeah, I kinda did." With that said he charged his Ninjato with burning chakra, before launching himself at the beast.

The creature seemed to laugh, easily swatting him away with one of its great arms. Naruto felt the stings of countless insects biting at him, but also something else. It was like they were pulling something from him. It wasn't chakra that was for sure, it hurt to much. After he landed, Naruto bent over and vomited. He had yet to experience anything that painful in Hell.

Shino's insect body towered over him, glaring down at him _"It turns out that down here, my Kikaichu don't drain chakra like I thought they would. It seems they prefer the local delicacy of… souls." _Naruto's eyes shot open, souls? Of course, the little bastards had tried to suck his soul out! If he wasn't extra careful, those things would kill him easily.

Dodging a bug made fist, Naruto tried to think up a plan, but nothing really came to mind. Looking up at the monstrosity Shino had become, his eyes locked onto the two gold coins. Maybe he did have a plan after all…..

Turning on his heel, Naruto channeled a rasengan's worth of chakra into his Kama, before throwing it into the swarm body's torso. Immediately the bugs started to devour the holy chakra, but this proved to be a mistake. They ended up destabilizing the technique, causing it explode more violently then expected.

The blast threw Naruto to the ground, and blew the bug body apart. Most of the bugs were uninjured, but the force of the blast had caused them to separate from their humanoid form. The blast had also caused one of Shino's golden eyes to be knocked lose, and fall to the ground, where it bounced and rolled toward Naruto.

Grabbing it, Naruto became aware of the multitude of bugs buzzing at him in anger _"My eye! Release it at once!" _Shino cried, his voice disjointed due to lacking a corporal body. Naruto just smirked, getting one of the eyes early was a bonus but now it was time for phase two.

Standing, Naruto gripped his Ninjato in a reverse grip. Slowly at first, then quickly, he twirled the chain on the sword around and around directly in front of him. Soon, the blade became a blur, the Kama blade whistling through the air as it traveled.

Now this alone would have proven to be nothing more then a lame rope trick. But when Naruto channeled a bit of Tempest magic through the blade, things started to pick up. Literally, pick up. The swirling chain of wind chakra had become a vortex, which was pulling all the lightweight objects toward it. Now most of the gold in the room was too heavy for this to affect them, but Shino's bugs on the other hand…..

The beetles realizing what was going on, desperately tried to either form a body or fly out of range, but neither was turning out to be doable. Soon, all the beetles, as well as the remaining gold eye, were stuck in the center of the vortex, their black bodies a jumbled cloud. Then Naruto performed the final phase of his plan. After saying a silent apology to his friend, Naruto used his unholy chakra to ignite the whirlwind.

The effect was immediate. The air burned, and the beetles were caught right in the middle of it. Any stragglers outside the vortex found themselves vaporized as the fire from the wind licked out and touched them with it's searing power. The ones inside vaporized to dust in a matter of moments. The only thing left after the blast was a single, golden piece.

Ending the technique, Naruto collected the gold coin, and held it in his hand next to its twin. Shino's voice could be heard, very faintly, cursing him, but Naruto knew that the man was almost completely gone. Quickly raising Kami's talisman, Naruto focused the Holy Chakra into collecting and amplifying what was left of Shino. It took a long time, longer then any other healing he'd preformed, but slowly but surely, he felt it working.

From the two coins flowed a white smoke, which grew and grew, and then shaped itself into the form of one Shino Aburame. The gold coin eyes were gone, as was the golden to Naruto's annoyance he still couldn't learn what Shino's eyes looked like, because somehow his stupid sunglasses had followed him from beyond the grave!

Adjusting said eyewear, Shino cleared his throat and addressed Naruto _"Thank you, Naruto, I was not myself. I don't know how, but something caused me to stop thinking rationally, and turned me into a monster. You turned me back" _at this, Shino got on his knees and bowed his head to the ground _"I owe you so much, please allow me to repay you." _he said, looking up at Naruto. Naruto chuckled awkwardly at that, as he opened the Portal of Redemption.

"Ah, ha, just be safe Shino, that's all I ask." He said, hoping that Shino would stop giving him that intense stare. Shino stood and walked toward the portal, before he stopped and turned suddenly.

_"I know what I shall do" _he said, walking over to Naruto. _"I shall provide you with a new weapon to help you on you journey." _he said, raising his hand and causing Naruto to raise and eyebrow. A new weapon? What could Shino possibly give him? Ino had given him her magic, would Shino give him that battle axe? While normally Naruto would love to get his hands on a weapon like that, it just didn't seem like it would fit with his style. Also, how would he carry the behemoth?

But as it turned out, that was not what Shino had in mind. Bowing his head in focus, Shino raised his hand, and used the last of his demonic magic to will a weapon into being. After a moment, a stack of gold coins separated itself from the large pile, and made its way toward Shino. Naruto also noticed with some surprise that the two gold coins which had been Shino's eyes were also floating toward their former owner.

Grasping the two coins in one hand, with his other, Shino channeled his power into the coins, causing them to liquify, and become liquid gold. The liquid then took shape, every coin becoming a round ball. A thin line of liquid formed a nearly invisible string, and laced it's way through all the different balls, before they all came together to reveal a string of prayer beads. Finally, Shino's eye coins flew and clasped the prayer beads at either end, locking the beads on the string. Pointing a finger at Naruto, Naruto unconsciously raised his right hand, and watched as the beads flew toward him. Flowing around his arm, the beads positioned themselves, before finally settling down. After they stopped moving, Naruto felt his own Holy Chakra flow into the beads, causing them to shine like tiny stars.

Following a voice that only he could hear, Naruto pointed his bead covered arm toward the rafters of the room, where a few Wasters sat watching the battle. Channeling a bit more chakra into his new Prayer Beads, Naruto was startled when a single bead shot off like a rocket, and struck the Waster right in the forehead. It snapped the creature's head back, breaking it's neck, and slammed into the wall. Then, after a beat, it flew back just as quickly and reattached itself next to its brothers.

Naruto whistled, clearly impressed. He looked up to see Shino at the edge of the Portal, watching his reaction. Nodding at Naruto, Shino said _"Good luck, Naruto, I hope you are ready for what is ahead." _and with that last bit of good cheer, Shino was gone.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto, by now ready to continue his journey, exited the room through a door which had opened after Shino disappeared. Finding a wall, Naruto scaled it rapidly, ignoring the shades calling out about 'having it all' or commanding him to 'give me that talisman, boy'. Soon he reached the top, Naruto saw he had a long jump ahead of him. Normally this might be difficult, but a simple clone chain later, and he caught onto an over hanging wire. Shimmying across it, Naruto landed on a circular platform.

But as soon as his feet touched the ground, spikes shot up and enclosed the area. And from the darkness and flames came a new demon: The Throne Demon. It was taller then the other demons of Hell, and meaner looking too. It wore a heavy set of battle armor, and carried a large shield in one hand, an axe in the other. Glaring at Naruto, the beast roared and attacked.

Rolling out of the way of it's charge, Naruto raised his right arm and fired off several prayer beads. The beads knocked the demon off it's feet, and into the air, where the golden balls swarmed like nary flies. Seeing an opportunity, Naruto charged his amulet, and fired, just as the demon fell to the ground. The blast made the creature spin like a top, and crash through the spike wall before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Suddenly the round platform shook, and began to move away, carrying Naruto deeper into Greed. Frankly, Naruto was beginning to wonder just how big this circle was.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

When the platform was hallway through its journey, Naruto found himself assailed by another Hoarder-Waster. Not wanting to deal with the creature, Naruto blasted it before it could spin, then used his Ninjato to slice away the two heads. He saw a few bug demons, but they were simply milling about. It seemed that without Shino to guide the bugs in this circle, they weren't much of a threat.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, with only one stop as Naruto had to jump to another platform. There a Hoarder tried to jump down on him, but Naruto was able to knock away into the sea of gold below. Soon the platform entered a large room, where what looked like a statue of a dying giant bled streams of molten gold. Hopping down, Naruto tried to figure out where to go next.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Or he would, if a bunch of demons hadn't shown up to piss him off. Two Throne demons had shone up, and were now doing their best to heard him into the waiting lake of death.

Sighing, Naruto placed his hands in a familiar cross seal, and summoned four clones. With all of his weapons and powers, the clones made quick work of the demons, one receiving a a Ninjato to the brain, the other getting a double barrel blast of Holy Charka.

While his clones took care of the dirty work, Naruto figured out that in order to leave the room, he'd have to destroy the boulder blocking his path, presumably with the odd furnace weapon sitting the the gold giant's lap. Shrugging, Naruto pulled the lever to aim the cannon, and then sent a clone to pull the trigger, blasting away the opposition. Looking around, he saw that his clones had finished their assignments. Dispelling them and absorbing their memories, Naruto leapt up to the exit and walked out.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

From there it was just an elevator ride down, and then he found the Kyubi smirking at a doorway. Naruto wasn't sure why, but it was likely something he wouldn't enjoy. Up until now, Greed hadn't been too bad, with some glaring exceptions. So he had to wonder what awaited him behind the door.

Kyubi turned to him smirking _"Let not Plutus, the god of wealth, hinder your passage; whatever the power the accursed wolf may have." _she told him. _"Though really, it's not him you'll need to worry about…" _she said, her smirk widening to frightening proportions.

Naruto took a slight step back at that, then turned to face the door that was sealed shut by a multitude of iron chains. "How shall I go on?" he asked, wondering if he would need to open the door by himself. He could do, he thought, but it looks like it was made to keep just about anything out.

Kyubi just shook her head, and waved her hand. Much like when she'd met him at the gates, the door shook violently before opening _"Your journey is willed on high, where Kami watches you with pleased eyes." _she said, in an almost mocking tone. Naruto stepped forward, hesitant to enter into a room that Kyubi wanted him to so badly. _"Oh and one more thing" _she said, as she started to disappear _"Do try not to die, won't you?" _And with that she was gone.

With that uplifting message, Naruto walked into the darkened room. When the door slammed shut behind him, and the torches lit up the room, Naruto got a glimpse of what had made the Kyubi so pleased.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

One of the main features of the room was a large statue that was in the very back of the room, right next to a rather large and prestigious waterfall of liquid gold. The statue was about as large as the room, and was made in the shape of someone who Naruto could only guess was Plutus. It was adorned with jewels, and one hand held a plate pilled with various precious stones. However, the statue, it turned out, was completely irrelevant when compared with the rooms other occupant.

Dangling from the ceiling was the once great bounty-hunter Kakuzu. He was lying parallel to the ground, his face and stomach pointed downward, his back facing the ceiling. Attached to his back, in place of his black threads, where hundreds of pipes of various sizes. The pipes seemed to enter the room from various points, connect to Kakuzu, exit him, then exit the building. Inside the pipes looked to be the molten gold that flowed in rivers around the fourth circle. From the look on Kakuzu's face, the experience of having molten gold channeled through one's body was a rather painful experience.

Naruto also noticed that unlike other rooms, this one was lacked piles of riches. While Plutus was made of gold and jewels, the room contained no other forms of wealth. What it did have were four tall pillars jutting seemingly at random points around the room. On each pillar was balanced a transparent case, in which there seemed to be something encased, but Naruto was too far away to see what.

Naruto must have made a noise, because Kakuzu's head snapped in his direction. Recognizing him, the man's eyes glare with a look of utter hatred. Opening his mouth, he actually growls at him, while what appears to be strings of gold drip from his maw.

_"Uzumaki" _he growled out, his voice sounding parched and raw. _"This truly is a glorious day, when the gods of the underworld have delivered me my vengeance." _he croaked out, seeming to struggle against the tubes that attached him to the ceiling to no avail.

"And what are you going to do to me exactly?" Naruto asked. Now that he'd gotten over the shock, he had to wonder what the Kyubi had said about not dying. Kakuzu was chained to the ceiling, so shouldn't he just be able to walk past him? Then again, Konan had been attached to Charon, and she'd fought him pretty viciously. He was taken out of his pondering by a hacking cough from above. It took him a moment to realize that Kakuzu was laughing at him!

_"Fool. Your bravado will do you no good here. You are sealed inside with me, and death has given me far more then I ever possessed in life."_ He said, sounding more and more manic. _"When I was alive, I would always have to go hunting for my wealth, always trying to get more. But now…. " _he said, turning his head up to try and look at the wires on his back _"now all the wealth flows willingly to me!Its' all mine, every last drop of it! The only thing that will make my wealth truly complete though" _he said looking down at Naruto _"Will be your heart on a stake!" _he finished with a roar.

Suddenly the tubes began to pump much faster, the liquid gold traveling at dizzying speeds. Kakuzu began to shiver and shake, as the wealth he craved flowed through him. Then his eyes snapped wide open, and Naruto only had a moment to prepare before he attacked.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto had to pump chakra into his legs, but somehow he made the jump. Kakuzu had opened his mouth, and out had come a torrent of the deadly molten gold. Naruto landed on one of the small towers in the room and watched as the gold covered where he'd stood. Jumping through the air toward Kakuzu, the gold suddenly hardened, and spikes shot from the puddle toward him. Naruto let out of the way, firing a barrage of Holy chakra blasts.

But seconds before the blast reached the tubes, they suddenly glowed, as runes appeared etched over their surface. The Holy Chakra struck the tubes, only to dissipate immediately. Naruto stared in open mouth shock. That was the first time his Holy Chakra had no effect on something. He snapped out of it in time though, as a ball of gold flames soared overhead.

Kakuzu just laughed at the boy's feeble attempt to attack him _"Fool. Do you not think that if these shackles could be destroyed so easily, I would not have already done so? They are enchanted to resist any attack so long as the runes are powered." _He said, keeping his eyes locked on the boy as he dodged another wave of liquid gold.

Using his ninja training, Naruto leapt acrobatically through the air, latched onto one of the pillars and swing his way on top of the glowing container. 'okay' Naruto thought. How was he supposed to get past then? What was powering the cables?

Then Naruto noticed something. He wasn't being attacked. Looking over at Kakuzu, he saw that the man was eyeing him distastefully, but yet he did not attack. Looking down he saw spikes of gold facing him, but not launching up like they had before. Why? That was when Naruto finally took notice of the glow beneath his feet. Looking down, he was close enough to identify what was in the containers. It was a heart. One of Kakuzu's five hearts! Of course! If he could destroy the hearts, Kakuzu would die…. again! That was why he wasn't attacking, he was afraid to damage his own hearts! Naruto felt a feral grin creep onto his face, as he started to formulate a plan.

But Kakuzu just couldn't take it anymore, and opened his mouth to breath a cloud of glittering gold fog that shot toward Naruto. Jumping up, Naruto leap-frogged off a clone to achieve greater highest, while also summoning two more clones. The clone who'd been used as a stepping stone was surrounded by the fog, and froze as his body inhaled it. In seconds, his body had turned to solid gold, and dropped to the ground below.

Naruto winced as he saw his clone's fate, but focused his mind of the task at hand. For the clones he'd summoned had completed the technique. Kakuzu saw this and recognizing the technique, called off the fog in favor a bolt of gold lightning that split the air as it traveled. Naruto had just enough time to throw his jutsu and bend out of the way (which was very difficult to do in midair) and land back on sweet ground.

From there, their was nothing Kakuzu could do to stop the technique from reaching its destination. Naruto couldn't help but smirk and mutter "Wind Style: Rasenshuriken"

The spinning wind sphere struck the glass, and the vortex that came from it pulled the remains of the gold dust fog into it. The wind was a little more violent then usual, since Naruto had added just a heap of Tempest magic into it. Hearing a cry he turned and watched as Kakuzu seemed to writhe in the air, clutching his chest in pain. Then, all around him, Naruto watched was the golden spikes that had been such a hassle start to melt and disappear. With a single blow, the Earth Heart had been destroyed.

Deciding to take advantage of his enemies state, Naruto dashed to the next closest heart, firing prayer beads at it as he went. But the beads just bounced off the casing, only putting minute cracks in it. Damn. Looks like he'd have to be much closer to the heart to do real damage. But it wasn't like he could just sling around a bunch more Rasenshuriken, he'd have to be smart about how he went about this.

Regaining control of himself, Kakuzu turned to face Naruto and roared in anger. Naruto returned with a blast of prayer beads. He didn't expect them to hit the pipes, but he hoped he could at least keep the bounty hunter distracted. Kakuzu opened his mouth, charging a lightning bolt. But instead of firing at Naruto, he fired at the beads. The electricity magnetized the golden bobbles, causing them to clump together and fall to the ground. Suddenly, the started to roll back at Naruto with surprising speed, until it launched itself off the ground towards its master. Naruto moved his head aside as the ball slammed into the wall behind him, leaving a large dent.

But that didn't slow the ball down, as it rebounded and flew off after a fleeing Naruto. Said ninja was trying to figure out what to do. It was clear to him that Kakuzu was using his Lightning Heart to make the beads chase him. Now how was he supposed to make it stop?

Casting a desperate glance around the room, he spotted one of the jars glowing more brightly then the others. Figuring that was as good an indicator as any, he went to work. Stopping suddenly, he leaned to the side as the golden orb shot past. As it did, Naruto lashed out and caught in the Kama blade. As the sphere began to turn around for another shot, Naruto gripped the chain and turned as well, forcing the ball to move faster. Using his chain, he was able to sling shot the ball right at the heart. Because it was traveling so fast, Kakuzu didn't have time to slow it down using his Lightning heart. As a result, the ball crashed right through it, tearing the heart to pieces like a pumpkin hit with a cannon ball. With the heart destroyed, the beads separated and reattached to Naruto, though he could feel that their power was somewhat drained, and he should probably hold off using them for a while.

While Kakuzu was again flailing around on the end of his tubes, which Naruto ideally noted seemed to be pumping a little slower, and also seemed less taught, Naruto acted on a sudden idea. Taking his sword, Naruto pumped it full of Unholy Chakra, and hurled it like a javelin at a nearby heart. With Kakuzu so distracted, their was no way to act before the sword struck it, melting the heart to protoplasm. His enemies flailing became much worse, and Naruto saw that all the liquid gold on the ground had evaporated, meaning that he'd taken out the Water heart.

With his Ninjato so far away, Naruto knew that he'd have to decide between concentrating on calling back to him, or run and get it. If he ran to it, he'd be running in the opposite direction from the heart. If he tried to call it back, he'd have to concentrate, leaving himself open for an attack. Deciding upon the lesser of two evils, Naruto turned and faced the last heart. Naruto didn't know if it was the Wind or Fire heart, he just knew it was going to be destroyed.

Gripping his Talisman with both hands, he powered up a massive amount of Holy Chakra, about as much as an Omega Rasengan. It took a lot of effort to power up that quickly, and he could see Kakuzu starting to calm down.

When he had enough, he took careful aim and fire. The recoil blasted him backwards. The blast looked like a mini white sun flying toward the heart. Kakuzu, seeing it, chose to ignore the ninja crusader in favor of saving himself further agony. Channeling the power of his fire heart, he fired a massive ball of fire to intercept the Holy Blast. It struck the ball and needless to say, the results were interesting.

The fireball was made from Kakuzu's Unholy chakra. The Holy Blast was made of…. well…. Holy Chakra. So when the Unholy Chakra mingled with the Holy Chakra, the result was…. volatile.

Naruto, being on the other side of the room, was thrown into the wall, where he nearly blacked out from the pain. Kakuzu still was protected by the runes on the tubes, though by now those had little to no power left. The room on the other hand, was annihilated. The entire side of the that room was blown away, falling from its foundations and falling into the abyss below. While the heart wasn't killed by the initial blast, it was knocked from its protective case, where it fell from the room. Unfortunately it was met by some jagged rocks, which were no kinder to the Fire Heart then Naruto would have been.

Naruto watched as Kakuzu slumped in a daze, his runes of protection fading away. With most of the ceiling destroyed, so were half of Kakuzu's pipes. This resulted in gold flowing down into the abyss in a spectacular waterfall of gold. Looking back at Kakuzu, something caught his eye. He hadn't noticed it before, due to the pipes; but beneath all of them, was a fifth heart. Of course it made sense, in life Kakuzu had possessed five hearts, and their was no reason he'd have any less in death. Deciding that this called for something special, he called on three clones.

Shaking himself from his stupor, Kakuzu turned at what sounded like a massive tornado. Spotting the source, his eyes widened in shock. Their stood the Kyubi brat, surrounded by thee of his dopplegangers. But it was what they were doing that was shocking. There, on the tip of the boy's sword, was the technique that had caused his death: The Rasenshuriken! But it was different somehow, for it seemed to taken on a pure snow white coloring. Holy Chakra!

Glancing up at him, the boy grinned a positively evil smile. The clones dispersed, and the boy pointed his sword at him, the Rasenshuriken spinning like a giant fan. The boy spoke: "Goodbye, Kakuzu. Wind Style: Blessed Rasenshuriken Cannon!"

The technique blazed forward like a rocket, scorching the very air in the room. Loose debris was sucked up in the wind tunnel left by its' wake. Chained like he was, Kakuzu knew he couldn't avoid it. Sighing, he just closed his eyes and awaited the impact. He wasn't disappointed. The tornado of compressed Holy Chakra slammed into his chest, sending him up and through the roof of his prison, his pipe shackles shattering like glass. As he went through the roof, he was ideally aware of the pain that made him aware that he'd just crushed his last heart as he flew through the ceiling. But that didn't matter. For in the next moment the jutsu detonated, sending a column of Holy light and wind upward.

His body was utterly wiped from existence.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Throughly exhausted, Naruto managed to climb up the statue of Plutus, where he sat resting on the large offering plate it held in hand. Most of the gold was still there, though some of the jewels had been blow away. Suddenly, in a deep raspy voice, Naruto heard _"Papé Satàn, papé Satàn aleppe"_ looking around, Naruto turned to look into the face of the fallen god, whose eyes were glowing brightly in the dark. Having already been told that Plutus could do no harm to him, Naruto didn't feel any fear toward this being. He was however, a little curious.

"What does that mean?" He asked the statue. A sound that vaguely resembled chuckling came from the statue, and Naruto got the feeling he'd somehow amused it.

_"Do not concern yourself with it, boy" _the statue stated, his voice low and accented. _"You have destroyed he who would dare try to garner all wealth in the Inferno for himself, and thus take away me. You have my gratitude." _It said. Naruto felt relieved, it seemed Plutus wasn't angry at him for destroying the room. _"For your service…. a gift I think…. " _Plutus continued. Naruto sat up at that. What would Plutus give him? Another weapon? More magic? _"Neither" _the statue said, seeming to read his thoughts. _"After all, we wouldn't want you getting…. greedy….. " _the voice trailed off, and Naruto had a hard time figuring out if the statue was joking or not. _"No, you gift shall be one of knowledge…. look into the offering plate" _the voice commanded.

Naruto did, seeing his reflection looking back at him from within the gold. Suddenly, his reflection faded, and Naruto felt himself drawn in, and information filled his mind:

_-Naruto In Hell-_

_A cold desolate place, filled with woe. Six eyes glared down, not at him, but through him. Whatever being held those eyes was a being of hate and evil. And he would do well to remember that. _

_A large area, divided into ten ditches. Overhead, a large being gazed down on it, watching over the souls in this circle. The being looked like an ox, but had strange tentacles coming from the waist down. Suddenly the ox turned it's head like it heard something, but it was too late. Something grabbed it by the horns and pulled it backwards into darkness. A moment later, blood flowed down from the perch into the ditches below. _

_A cave sat overlooking the tempest of the second circle. The cave had only one inhabitant, a large cat with two tails lay curled up at the back of the cave, sleeping soundly. A noise outside draws attention, and the cat's head snaps up. Silhouetted against the storm a figure stood, reeking evil energy. The figure entered the cave. A flash of lightning. The figure left with blood covering them, the cave a mess. _

_The icy world again. A figure stood, cloak wrapped around his body, holding a bloody sword. The blood on the sword froze, staining the blade forever crimson. Dark energy approached the figure, who looked up at the oncoming storm. Naruto was able to see that the figure had red pinwheel eyes. _

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto gasped as he came back from his vision. What had that been? Who was the demon with six eyes? Who were the ox and cat? Then the last part of the vision came back to Naruto. Itachi. Was he in cahoots with the darkness and the six eyed demon? Itachi did seem to have a talent for joining up with evil bastards. But had it been Itachi who had killed those other two? And if so, why? Well, when Naruto found him, he was going to get some answers. Even if he had to beat Itachi black and blue to get them.

Turning to Plutus he said "Thank you. Do you know anything about what I saw?" Maybe he could get some more info from the statue. But the statue just sighed _"That vision was yours, and yours alone. I can give you no more then that." _

Naruto nodded "Oh, well thank you." he said, making his way to the door behind Plutus' head. Even as he opened the door and stepped out, his mind was in turmoil. The door shut, and the room was silent, as once more Plutus, fallen god of wealth, was left alone.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After the Plutus room, Naruto was almost relieved by the next few challenges Greed threw at him. The first was after he used a rope to swing over a chasm. It was room filled with gears that were to be used as platforms, all of them spinning rapidly; all while large stone hammers descended at radome intervals to crush anyone who tried to get through.

Naruto just used chakra to enhance his speed and dash to the other side of the room in a couple of seconds.

Of course when he reached the other side, walked through a sealed door, and climbed a soul wall, he found something he hadn't in a while: A shade. It was mumbling something like _"Why did you squander" _under its breath. As he approached, the figure's gaze snapped up toward him, and Naruto was able to identify the shad as female. _"I'm not involved anymore. She doesn't need me."_ She said.

Placing his hand on her shoulder, Naruto was shocked when he saw who this was up close: Shizune. The ever faithful assistant to the Slug Sannin sat before him a weeping shade. "Shizune, calm down, it's me Naruto! What happened?" He asked kneeling down beside her to console her.

Shizune looked up at him her eyes wide with recognition but also fear; though clearly not of him _"Na-Naruto…. it was horrible" _she said, trying to steady herself. _"I managed to stay by Lady Tsunade's side, even down here in the Inferno. At first, it was okay, we were able to manage; we fought off any demons who approached us." _she said, thinking back. _"But then things changed. Not drastically, at first. It was little things. Lady Tsunade became more brutal, and wanted to spend more time alone. But things got really bad, Tsunade became more interested in gold then escape; she became actively violent towards me. At one point, I think she contemplated killing me. Then one day, she was gone. I haven't seen her sense." _she finished, her eyes filling with tears. Naruto was filled with shock. Could grandma Tsunade really have changed so much? It would fit with what he had seen before.

Shaking his head, he raised his medallion "Don't worry Shizune, I'll take care of everything." She looked up at him, curiosity and hope in her eyes "You go on a head, I'll send her up after I've set her straight."

Shizune gave a small smile _"If anyone could do it, it would be you" _she said. She turned around _"Its' time to go, Tonton" _she said, before revealing her faithful pig companion.

With one final hug goodbye, Shizune was sent onward with_"Glory be to Kami" _being the last words she'd say in Hell.

That done, Naruto turned and walked out the door.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Following Shizune's ascension, Naruto rode an elevator downward, landing on a platform next to a river of gold. There, a large Hell-Beast was laboring to push a massive cube of gold upstream. Deciding it would be best not to do anything too stupid, Naruto just used his skills to pass unseen.

Just kidding. He leapt on top of the Hell-Beast, stabbed the rider through the chest with his Ninjato; tossing the body into the river. From there, he took control of the Hell-Beast using Kami's medallion. He had the creature crawl through a large hole in the back of the room. The creature carried him up and down and across a wide array of tunnels, leading him to his ultimate destination. At one point Naruto actually looked down and saw the Plutus room far below him.

Then the beast leapt through a side hole that had been hidden in shadows. Crawling up to the perch, Naruto saw he had arrived. A quick blast of Holy Chakra knocked out the creature, who Naruto decided to spare; just in case. Hopping off, Naruto surveyed his location: The Wheel Of Fortune Room.

And there to greet him was Kyubi. Turning to face him she gestured toward the Wheel and said _"The Wheel Of Fortune. The One who made the Heavens, made a guide who transfers vain goods from one blood to another." _

Naruto just raised an eyebrow at that. Someone controlled all the wealth of the world, and could decide who got it? "So just who is this 'Lady Fortune', who has the goods of the world in her clutches?" he asked.

Kyubi just sneered at him _"Your wisdom cannot comprehend her. She provides, she judges; she maintains her realm. Necessity compels her to be swift." _she said dismissively. It always annoyed Naruto how Kyubi acted toward humans, even though she herself was bested by one.

"How is she perceived?" he asked, wondering what Lady Fortune looked like. Kyubi just shook her head, her eyes dimming with her message _"She is often crucified, even by those who ought to give her praise. Happy, she turns her wheel, and rejoices in her own bliss." _she said and vanished.

That said, Naruto turned away from where Kyubi once stood, and gazed more thoroughly on the Wheel room.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The room was a massive chamber, with the Wheel located at the far end. The walls of the chamber had waterfalls of liquid gold raining down the sides, and draining into the room below. The rest of the room was rather ordinary, with only a few fiends milling about on the topmost level.

The Wheel, on the other hand, was magnificent. It was as large enough to take up an entire wall, the top part almost reaching the ceiling. The Wheel was made of gold and jewels, and every other precious thing imaginable. The whole thing was inscribed with ruins in a language Naruto couldn't understand. The movements of the Wheel also varied from slow, like a giant cog, to blindingly fast like a roulette table.

He was distracted from the Wheel by loud cussing and laughing up a head. Walking forward, he got a better look at a few figures in front of the Wheel.

The first was a slight, human figure, covered in a tattered gray cloak. Naruto could see the figure arguing vehemently with the second figure, who was doing all the laughing. The one who was laughing was a Throne Demon. Around him, a few fiends dragged a shackled Temptress off through a door. He seemed very satisfied, and as Naruto grew closer, he could make out what the Demon was saying to the cloaked figure.

_"That's the last slave you had, you old fool." _He chuckled. _"Now get out. You have nothing left to gamble with, so either bet yourself or go find some more slaves to bet with." _he grumbled and walked off after the fiends.

The cloak figure began to stomp and curse in a muttered female voice. Getting closer, Naruto saw the figure turn at his approach and got a better look at her face.

Or he would, had she not been wearing a mask. The mask was made of gold, like everything else in Greed, was styled after the dramatic Comedy face. Naruto found it quite disconcerting the way the smile seemed to stare at him.

Suddenly, the figure lashed out, and grabbed him in a choke hold. Naruto fought as his air was cut off unexpectedly. His face was slammed into a pair of soft somethings, and he felt the figure turn back toward the door.

_"Wait!" _she cried, her voice sounding horse _"I do have one more! He's right here!" _she said, and Naruto realized that she was referring to him! This woman was about to bet him as a slave!

The Throne Demon turned to look at the woman, eyeing the soul in her grasp. It was a wonder a Waster like her could hold onto anything like that. It was clear that the soul was just some unfortunate boob who'd wondered to close, and wasn't really her slave. But a soul was a soul, and he might as well take it too. After all, this sucker never won anything.

_"Alright, you bag of bones" _He said, before making a motion to the demons on top of the wheel. _"Standard bet: You win, you get a thousand gold coins; lose, and we take your slave. Now get ready to hand him over" _he finished, just as the Wheel began to spin faster.

Naruto managed to turn in her grasp, shocked by what he'd heard. If this woman lost, which seemed to be most likely, he'd have to go through the trouble of fighting his way through this mongrel hoard. Great. Still struggling to get free, he grasped the wrinkled arms and attempted to loosen their vice-like grip.

Suddenly the Wheel stopped. All was silent for a moment, before the Demon's jaw dropped _"What! How! Impossible!" _he screamed in disbelief. The woman on the other hand, let go of Naruto to jump or joy, as a thousand gold coins rained down on her. She quickly gathered them up, as the Throne Demon stomped off, before the woman asked to make another bet.

Turning to face him, the woman said _"You must be some kind of good luck charm kid, thanks" _she told him sincerely. _"Who are you anyway? You aren't like the other souls I've encountered, you're too strong." _added curiously.

Naruto just sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Now that his life wasn't in jeopardy, his ire was starting to cool down somewhat "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I-" he stopped as the woman let go of her winnings, the gold coins dropping to the floor.

_"Na-Naruto?" _The woman asked, shambling over to him. Rising her arms to his face, she leaned in closer to look at him. Naruto had to control himself not to shudder at her invading his personal space. She smelled musty, much like an antique store. Her arms were covered in wrinkles, loose skin, and varicose veins. She cupped his cheeks in her clammy hands, and she was close enough that Naruto was able to see through the mask and make out her chocolate brown, cataracts eyes. _"It is you…. after all this time… " _woman trailed off, and Naruto was finally able to make a familiar voice beneath the rough quality.

"Grandma Tsunade?" he asked, finally getting through his thick skull just who this was. With a shaking hand, he reached out toward the woman who he had secretly considered like his grandmother. These emotions welled up within him the longer he looked at the Golden Mask that hide her features, and for a brief moment, the conversation with Shizune seemed to slip his mind….

_"Ah, what's wrong Naruto? Why don't you come give your Grandma a hug?" _she asked, and Naruto was suddenly filled with a deep feeling of love. He stepped toward Tsunade, his arms open, ready for an embrace…

Suddenly a sharp pain snapped Naruto out of his dream-like state, as Tsunade used her strength to punch Naruto right in the chest. Naruto was sent flying back, slamming right into the center of the Wheel of Fortune, sending a series of spider-web like cracks throughout its surface.

"Grandma…. why?" Naruto asked, as the healing properties of the Holy Chakra kept him from coughing blood. Tsunade just stood, shaking back on the ground, her fist clenched.

_"How dare you come here…. after what you did…. after what you did to me!" _she cried out, tearing her mask away, revealing the face beneath. With no chakra, Tsunade's illusion of youth had faded away, leaving only her true form, a withered crown, behind. Her skin was gray and saggy, wrinkles ran all across her form. Her once beautiful blond hair was gray, and clumps of it had fallen out. All in all, the once pretty face of Tsunade's past had gone, revealing a rather unpleasant present. _"Because of you, I'm force to spend every minute of eternity as a crown! Because of you, I will never see my husband or brother again!" _She ranted, her muscles tensing as she replaced her mask _"I'm gonna kill you!" _she screamed in a fury.

Tsunade leapt with a strength that should have been impossible at her current age, but that wasn't stopping her. Naruto only had an instant to duck out of the way as Tsunade slammed into the Wheel.

Already damaged, the Wheel shook, and began to fall backwards. Turning, Naruto saw Tsunade stare down at him with hate in her eyes. Pointing a finger at him as the Wheel began to fall away she cried _"Golden Thread!" _and from her finger a single golden thread shot out and ensnared Naruto's leg. Then the Wheel tumbled from it's slot, taking Tsunade, and now Naruto, with it.

The Wheel tumbled and landed on a cliff with a great boom. It was balanced perilously on the edge, and below was a great river of gold that flowed right out of Greed into the next circle. Landing with little grace, Naruto picked himself up, looking around for Tsunade. She seemed to have faired better then he did, and was now assuming a stance he was unfamiliar with, her arms reaching out to grasp something.

Suddenly, gold shot from her hands again, and began to flow into the shape of a sword. The sword was a massive broadsword in the shape of cross; a glittering emerald buried in the hilt. Grinning madly at it, Tsunade gripped the sword with both hands, and hefted it onto her shoulders. A moment later, she charged at Naruto, planning to end his life.

Naruto rolls away from a swing that would have separated him from his head, and raises his arm to fire several prayer beads. The beads strike Tsunade in the chest, and she grunts in pain, swinging her sword wildly to knock them away. Naruto follows up with a blast from his medallion that sends the Slug Sannin spinning back.

Clenching her fists, Tsunade glares at him from behind her mask, and suddenly Naruto is assaulted by a feeling of fear he has never known. He can't move, he can hardly breath beneath the assault. His lack of movement costs him, as a moment later Tsunade slams her blade into his side, only his armor saving him from a painful death. He skids across the platform, feeling it shift subtly beneath him.

Rolling over he sees Tsunade charging at him, but is too frightened to move. Clutching Kami's medallion in front of him like a shield, he prays desperately for her to aid him as Tsunade brings the sword down to split him in half.

_**"Divine Shield!" **_

Suddenly, Naruto was encased in a blinding white bubble. Tsunade's sword struck the bubble, and the part that touched it melted immediately. Looking down at her partially destroyed weapon, she growled, and missed Naruto prepare a Holy Chakra shot that sent flying back to the center of the platform.

Tsunade stood up shakily, using the handle of her sword to steady herself. _"Damn you…" _she muttered. _"You never showed me any respect…. I sometimes used to think of you, as the son me and Dan never got to have. And if I was your mother, I should have disciplined you a long time ago…" _she said, raising the sword, the broken point facing the earth _"I guess then, that's partially my fault…." _she said, gripping the handle till her wrinkled knuckles turned white. _"But there's no time like the present" _she said, turning her mask face to Naruto. Then she cried out _"Sins Of The Mother!" _slamming her broken sword into the center of the already weak Wheel.

A yellow shockwave shook the Wheel, and a wave of energy shot outwards in all directions. Naruto barely leapt over the first, when the second one came at him. Naruto leapt with all the skill he could muster toward Tsunade, always carful to avoid each new wave of golden energy.

Finally, with one last leap, Naruto landed on the sword. Twisting himself, Naruto lashed out with a kick that struck Tsunade's head, sending her stumbling away from the sword; causing the energy wave to stop.

Before she could recover, Naruto tackled Tsunade to the ground, trying to hold her still enough to purify her. Seeing him raise his Medallion at her, Tsunade thrashed about with even greater fury. Suddenly, her mask glowed as bright as the sun, its sickly light hitting Naruto right in the eye.

Immediately, dozens of different emotions flooded Naruto's mind, each one conflicting with the other. Naruto reeled back as his head felt like it took a blow from a sledgehammer. Tsunade took advantage of this and reversed their positions, with herself kneeling over him with her hands wrapped tightly around his throat.

_"Because of you everything was destroyed!" _she said tightening her grip as Naruto flopped like a fish under her. _"The village my grandfather created" _she continued, her eyes growing misty _"the peace my sensei worked to maintain" _now drops of true tears leaked from the eyeholes of her mask _"And the lives of everyone I knew and loved…. all ruined because of __**you**__, your f__**ather**__, and that stupid __**Demon**__!" _She finished with a yell, now glaring down at Naruto's face as it began to turn blue.

Naruto was starting to have tunnel vision, and new that if ever there was a time for acceptable force, it was now. Naruto used what little will power he could muster to activate the magic given by Ino. All at once, Tsunade found herself at the center of a maelstrom; as wind and lightning course over her. She screamed as the lightning caused her muscles to spasm, releasing Naruto.

Naruto reacted quickly and struck Tsunade across the face with one hand, knocking off her mask, and blasting her in the chest with his medallion with the other. Tsunade slid to the very edge of the platform, and was able to look over into the abyss. Seeing Naruto walk toward her, she knew what she had to do.

Naruto stood up shakily, and made his way over to Tsunade, amulet glowing. He stopped briefly to pick up her Golden Mask, and slipped it onto his belt. Just as he was a few feet from her, her head snapped up to glare at him.

_"If I have to go down, I'm taking you with brat!" _she said, before clasping her hands over her head. Before Naruto could do anything, she slammed the platform with the last vestiges of her super-human strength.

The Wheel Of Fortune, already weakened by the fighting, crumbled under this assault. Pieces of it broke off and fell away into the golden river below. One such piece had two passengers on it. The piece slammed into the rocky side of the cliff, breaking it further, and dislodging those on it. Naruto was lucky to land on a jutting piece of rock, where he was relatively safe. Tsunade fell a little further, grabbing onto the side of the cliff. But having used up the last of her strength, she knew that she didn't have long until she fell.

Seeing this Naruto scooted down the outcropping, and stretched out his hand toward her, while the other clung to the cliff. He tried to use chakra to stick, but the heat had burned most of the cliff too slick to stick too. It was very similar to the time Pervy Sage had thrown him into that ravine to summon the Kyubi's chakra. He hadn't been able to use chakra to stick to the wall there either for much the same reason.

"Please, take my hand" he called out to her "I'll save you!" he said with desperation in his voice. Tsunade looked up at him, her wrinkled face hard to read, even as a million little emotions danced across her eyes. Suddenly, her vision seemed to clear, and lock onto him.

_"Three… " _she muttered under her breath, confusing Naruto.

"Huh?" Naruto asked her, unsure about her behavior.

_"Three gold mines" _she said her voice becoming louder _"Three gold mines, and the mountains on top of them!" _she cried out in a voice laced with madness.

That was when Naruto came to a horrible realization: She wasn't looking at him! During the struggle and fall, the necklace he had won in a bet against her so long ago had fallen out of his shirt, and was now dangling down in front of Tsunade.

Realizing what she was about to do Naruto cried out "No, wait, don't!" But it was too late, Tsunade leapt up and grabbed his necklace with both hands. The weight was too much for the string, which snapped under the pressure. Gravity took affect the next moment, and Tsunade plunged down toward the boiling river below.

"NO!" Naruto screamed, jumping after her. He created a chain of Shadow Clones that lead back up the safety of the cliff side while he swung down to get her. He was so close, he reached out to her, but she was too busy admiring the jewel to do anything. The next second: Impact.

Tsunade felt pain flood her whole body as she landed in the river. Unlike regular gold, this gold seemed to be enveloping her like tar, dragging her into it. Staring at the jewel in her hand, she felt something stir within her. _'Nawaki, Dan, what have I done!' _she thought to herself, as her clenched fist became encased in gold. She looked up to see a weeping Naruto, looking down on her, as his clones pulled him back up to safety.

_'Sorry Naruto' _she thought, as a single gold tear fell from her eye. _'Guess I wasn't such good family after all.' _

And with that, the gold spread to her head, rapidly encasing it as it had done the rest of her. Naruto watched from above, weeping as he tried to think of something to do. He knew he couldn't jump in, but what else was there? The answer it seemed was nothing.

Just as it covered her forehead, Naruto saw the gem she always had there suddenly glow brightly, just before it was covered with gold. Then, before she sunk beneath the gold, her statue wen over the water fall.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It was a desperate Naruto that ran the rest of the short path through Greed. Anything that got in his way got destroyed. Soon, he found the final elevator and hopped on. It couldn't go nearly fast enough as it descended out of Greed. Naruto wasn't sure where that river lead, but he knew that he wouldn't give up hope, and that he would follow it and save Tsunade. He had saved everyone else up to this point, and he wasn't about to fail now!

If only he knew how much harder his journey was about to become.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura

**Kaiza

**Hanabi

**Lust: **Ino (Absolved)

Jiraiya (Absolved)

Orochimaru (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

**Ebisu

**Anko

**Mei Terumi

**Gluttony: **Choji (Absolved)

Zetsu (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Jirobou (Punished)_

_**Koharu (Punished) _

**Greed: **Kakuzu (Punished)

Shino (Absolved)

Tsunade (?)

_**Taki (Absolved) _

_**Gato (?)_

_**Shizune (Absolved)  
_

**Anger: **

**Heresy**

**Violence: **

**Fraud: **

**Treachery:**

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Pein, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Kiba, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Tsunade**

And so it is with a heavy heart that Naruto leaves the Circle Of Greed. While he has saved on friend, he may have lost another. And while he may have vanquished an old foe, it seems a new one will rise to face him. So many questions, so few answers, so many still to save. Can Naruto possibly save them all?

Next Time: Naruto, I know things seem hard, but if you though your last few opponents were difficult, you're about to face one even more troublesome. And later: Someone comes to settle a score, as a rematch to a fight had long ago come to pass once more. Who'll be top dog this time?

**AN: Hey everyone, hope you enjoyed the chapter. That part with Tsunade at the end? I know. The use of Shino in this chapter? Well, I really wanted to use Shino, as I find him to be a unique, but underused character in the manga. This just seemed like an appropriate spot for him. Why? Well, with the bugs, I thought that with the whole "Hive" thing, it might sort of fit. I don't know if bugs can be classified as Greedy or not... Even if it doesn't fit, we really don't know enough about Shino as a person to say otherwise. I just hope it put anybody off. **

**Now the important Question: **

**Is Itachi evil? **

**I mean, I know he killed his whole family, but wasn't he under orders or something? Trying to prevent an uprising? If that's true, is he really evil? I only ask because right now I'm toying with idea of absolving / redeeming him. So I want to know: Was he really evil? Or did circumstance lead him to do evil things? Think about it. **

**That's all for now, I'll see you all next time when we venture into the Circle of Anger. Please review, it gives us authors our power. Until Next Time...  
**


	6. Anger

**Hoo boy, it is finally here ladies and gentleman. I am truly sorry for making you all waiting this long, but I'm afraid real life got in the way. That, and I wanted to be damn sure that this chapter was worth the wait when I realized how long it was gonna need to be. I really don't know what else to tell you other then: Sorry, my bad, I'll try to get the next one out faster. But as I'm sure my fellow authors can attest, sometimes we can't get'em out as fast as we'd hoped. Now, on to more important things: Tsunade. Most of you took that very well. Some of you did not. I will address the issue in this chapter, so don't worry about it. Also, to those of you who answered my "Is Itachi really evil" question, thank you. That really helped me as I drew an outline for later chapters. For those of you who want to help decide the fate of some characters, two more are at the end of this chapter. Now let's answer some reviews shall we?**

**DarkShadowRaven: Thank you. And that's true it doesn't. I hope you enjoy what happens next... **

**Baron von Nobody: Wow, you really like this story don't you? That's good, and I am truly thankful for your kind words. And no, your memory is not foggy, but more on that in the chapter below. Also, thank you for your suggestions on possible demons for Naruto to face. One of them I had already planned to incorporate before your message, you'll know him when you see him, but the others were interesting thoughts for later. **

**The Tatsu Sennin: Thank you. And I try. **

**Dark Vizard447: Well thank you. **

**Dark Lord Namikaze: Indeed he was, if what we saw is anything to go by. **

**J.T(): Don't worry, I have no intention of abandoning this fic. I will admit to having thoughts on creating another story, another crossover though not a Naruto one, but I don't think it'll be coming out for a while. I'm glad to know you think I have talent. Actually, Narutopedia is where I get a lot of my facts as well. As for Tsunade, well, you'll see...Also, thank you for pointing that out to me, I've gone ahead and fixed it. For your help, your reward is this: Your guess about the 9th circle are spot on. At least one of your picks for Violence is right, and one of your choices for Sakura is wrong. That's all I'll say for now, perhaps you can piece it together a little more after this chapter.  
**

**airnaruto45: (Sprays airnaruto45 in face with fear toxin) calm down there boyo, no need to get so upset . Why do you assume I did that? Read below to find out more about her fate. **

**Madness Abe: Good to hear. For Tsunade, see above responses. Indeed, it hardly seems fair to the second stringers. I'm actually hoping that, with all the war chapters going on, we may finally get some backstory for some of these characters. And those are usually paired with nice long, generally good, fights. Let's just try and avoid spending over a year on any one character shall we (lookin' at you Kishimoto and Sasuke). As for the Akatsuki... (rubs hands together and cackles) you never know. Danzo? Oh, he has a very special place in Hell... Taka? I hadn't given them much thought, but once again, neither has the series. I know were I can use at least two of them, but I don't think they'll be playing a major role in this. As for the jinchuriki, well... sorry no spoilers. Maybe you will and maybe you won't. **

**jmasta32: Thank you. Tsunade is really popular amongst readers isn't she? Well read on to find out who he faces! **

**Master of the Boot: You are impressive sir. You actually left a review for nearly every chapter, and you're always so positive. Thank you for your kind words. Yeah, the things we players saw our first time through was pretty WTF. Personally, I'm hoping for a sequal, if Kratos can have three major games (with a fourth one in development) along with bunch of other side games, Dante deserves at least one more. Yeah, I wanted Naruto to team up with the Cerberus, mostly because that's something I haven't seen anyone else do. It also seemed like one of the few ways to even the playing field with Giant Zetsu. A writing god you say? You flatter me surely. **

**Killjoy92: Thank you. Yep, nothing like pulling a reader's heartstrings to make them like a character and care so much about what happens to them.**

**And finally: This chapter is really long, I mean really long (33,671 words long to be precise) so I've divided it into sections. Each has its own title (because I thought it might be fun to give my chapters actual titles), and gives you a glance into what lies ahead. Some of them are puns, I couldn't help myself. Sorry if you don't like this, but I just wanted to try it out. If enough of you don't like it, I'll not do it next time. **

_-Naruto In Hell-_** Whatever happened to Tsunade anyway?  
**

Naruto ran as fast as he could through the winding passages of Hell. He had just left Greed, and was desperate to get to the next level so he could gain access to the river Tsunade's statue fell into. Finally, he burst from the darkness of the tunnels, into the darkness outside. Unfortunately the tunnel exit was a few dozen feet above the ground. It was only his shinobi training that prevented him from being seriously injured.

Turning on his heel, he took stock of his new surroundings. This new circle was dark, and humid; and smelled strongly of rotting vegetation. The ground was mushy, and the whole place strongly resembled marshlands.

Shaking his head, Naruto brought himself back into focusing on finding the river. Just as he began to run through the underbrush, Kyubi materialized right in front of him. Instead of going through him like he though he would, he bounced off her like she was a jello mold. Landing on his butt, he looked up to see Kyubi looking down on him with a raised eyebrow.

_"And what exactly," _she said with a sneer _"has got you in such a rush?" _she asked. Naruto just shook himself off and turned away from her.

"I don't have time to waste on you Kyubi, I have to find that river." he said as he pushed past her and made his way toward a patch of trees.

Kyubi disappeared and materialized in front of him again _"You're going the wrong way. The path through the fifth circle is that way" _she said, pointed toward a narrow path through the undergrowth.

Naruto just shook his head obstinately. "I can't go that way yet. I have to find the river Grandma Tsunade fell into." he explained hastily as he again pushed past her. Kyubi's brow furrowed in confusion. She hadn't been with Naruto for his fight with the one called Tsunade, so she knew nothing about this. Regardless, she needed him to stay on the right path, and damn it all, that was the path he was going on!

Naruto suddenly felt something heavy wrap around his waist and pull him off his feet. Looking down, he saw it was one of Kyubi's tails. It turned him around so he could face her, where he saw a genuine look of confusion on her face.

_"Slow down there, boy, what river? What happened?" _she asked him. Naruto really didn't want to sit around explaining himself to Kyubi. But by the look on her face, and the grip she had on him, he wasn't getting away without and explanation. Sighing, he gave as quick a summary as he could, shoving all the vital facts in as fast as possible.

"…..And now I have to go find that river where her statue fell into, so I can absolve her!" he said, before panting to catch his breath. Kyubi blinked as her mind tried to catch up with everything the boy had said at light speed. Finally getting the gist of what had the boy's panties in a wad, Kyubi rubbed her forehead; where she knew a headache was building.

_"If that's the case Naruto, then the solution is very simple." _she said to him opening her eyes. Naruto instantly stopped his attempts to get free, and looked at the serious look on her face. _"If Tsunade has indeed fallen into the river, then there is only one place she can go from there. You see Naruto, all rivers in Hell lead to the same place: The Ninth Circle" _she explained, though as she mentioned the Ninth Circle, she seemed to shiver a little. _"Because she is encased in Greed's gold, nothing will be able to pierce it, nor she escape it. She is, for the moment, not in immediate danger." _she told Naruto, watching as he visibly relaxed slightly.

"Wait a minute!" he said, looking at her. "What if she gets caught on something? She could be in this circle right now!" he said.

Kyubi just shook her head _"These are Hell's rivers Naruto. Souls fall in them all the time. It is uncommon for a soul of a different circle to be born aloft to another one, but not unheard of." _she said taking on a thoughtful look. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she once again addressed Naruto _"So, as I was saying; Tsunade's statue will in all likelihood end up in the Ninth Circle. All __**you**__ have to do is go there, and that's where you'll find it." _

"Won't she be kind of hard to find down there?" Naruto asked.

_"At least you know she'll be there! You can skulk around the riverbanks of Hell all you want until the end of time, but there is no assurance you'll find her. At least in the Ninth Circle, you'll know she can't go anywhere else! Listen to me Naruto, if you'll find her anywhere, it's there." _She tried to assure the boy. This was so not her thing, assuring pathetic monkeys. Kami how she disliked this boy.

"Do you really think so?" Naruto asked, the sadness he'd felt earlier fading.

_"Just…. have faith in Kami Naruto. If she cares for you as much as she claims, and you believe, you should stumble across her again." _She said, trying to put on a comforting grin. All that came of it was something that looked like a painful grimace. _"Besides," _she said _"The Ninth Circle is not really very big. So it shouldn't take you as long to search it as it might if you searched every river." _she finished. Naruto just nodded his head, until he quirked his head to the side

"Wait, if all the rivers lead to the Ninth Circle, wouldn't following them be a good idea?" he asked.

Kyubi shook her head, having expected this question awhile a go. _"Not really. The rivers wind and change course sporadically, and it would take ages to follow their coursing waters all the way to the end. The obstacles around them alone would make the journey more of a hinderance then a help. That's what I was trying to tell you. I'm here to point out the fastest ways through the circles." _she exposited, once more pointing to the road she was trying to get him on. _"Just follow the paths I give you, and you'll be there in no time." _she finished.

Naruto nodded as Kyubi dropped him to the ground. "Okay, I'll trust you this time Kyubi" he said, making his way toward the path. "But if I find out you've lied to me" he said,"I will see you burn…. forever." he finished, his voice becoming hard as steel, and his glare reminding Kyubi of the accursed Fourth.

Kyubi covered up her momentary nervousness at remembering her old nemesis with a wry grin. _"You do that brat, now let's get this show on the road." _she said.

"Alright!" Naruto said, trying to pump himself back up. "So what's the dead with this circle?" He asked taking another look at the swampy landscape. Kyubi straightened her back, finally, they were back in the groove of things.

Clearing her throat Kyubi said _"See the souls over whom Anger, has prevailed. In the warm bath of the sun, they were once hateful. Down here in the black sludge of the river Styx do they wish they had never been born! " _she said dramatically.

Naruto nodded, he could feel the negative, hateful energy in the air, trying to gain sway over his thoughts. "I feel it. Like it's trying to change me. Kyubi? Will I be undone?" he asked suddenly nervous about if he'd be poisoned by the very air here.

Kyubi just rolled her eyes at him, scoffing at his fears _"Do not fear, for no one can take from you this passage, by such a one it is granted you." _she said, pushing him toward the path before disappearing.

Naruto took a deep breath, calming and steadying himself against the flow of negative energy. Having gathered his wits, Naruto set off down the designated path, the glow of Kami's amulet providing one of the few sources of light in this dim circle.

_-Naruto In Hell-_**  
**

Naruto trudged down the path for a while, before finally getting his first look at the river Styx. It wasn't really black, more of a filthy brown, resembling mud more then water. It looked pretty wide, and the only way across as far as Naruto could see was a single rope which spanned the width of the river. From up the river, Naruto heard the moans and groans and watched as a gray platform floated past with several shades on top. They were all crying for help, how they didn't deserve this fate, etc. etc. Naruto just shook his head as he made his way over to the rope.

Just as he reached it, he suddenly remembered something. Looking down, he plucked the Mask he'd taken from Tsunade from his belt. Looking at the permanent smile etched into the Mask, he could swear he saw it pulse and glimmer with power. Naruto knew he had to use the Mask, just like when he'd taken the Kusanagi from Orochimaru.

Slowly, he raised the Mask upward to his face, and could practically feel the strange chakra the Mask emitted. When the Mask touched his face, he felt like it was tightening around it. After a moment though, the sensation was gone, and Naruto felt the oddly light Mask stuck in place. Taking his hands away, Naruto ideally wondered if he'd be able to get the thing off later. As soon as he thought that, his face felt empty, and he could feel the tainted breeze of the fifth circle on his face.

Glancing at his reflection in his amulet, Naruto saw that the mask was gone, and his face was now uncovered. Naruto raised an eyebrow at that, wondering where the Mask had gone. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the odd feeling the Mask gave off. He was able to locate it, still finding it around his face. Channelling chakra in that direction, Naruto felt the Mask materialize around his face, once more forming the overly large glasgow grin. Under the Mask, Naruto grinned as well, it seemed that all he had to do was channel chakra into his face to call the Mask into being. From there, it was a simple matter of willing the Mask away. The amount to call it was relatively insignificant, but Naruto got the feeling that if he wanted to use the Mask's real power, he'd have to shell out a lot more chakra.

His new sort-of weapon now in place, Naruto leapt on top of the rope, and made to set off to the other side. In the back of his mind he continued to wonder about the exact nature of the Mask, as well as its' powers and properties.

It wasn't until he got to the other side that something was able to take his mind of it.

_-Naruto In Hell-_**Rise Of The Fallen  
**

Naruto quickly made his way across the rope, only briefly looking down into the black waters below. When he did, he could swear he saw the faces of the damned looking back up at him. Frankly Naruto wouldn't be shocked if that was the truth.

Landing on the large platform on the other side, Naruto looked for the path, but was interrupted by a shrieking sound. Looking up, Naruto only caught sight of the blur an instant before it was upon him. It was only instinct that saved him, as he raised his Ninjato up at the last moment to block the overhead swing. With his weapon locked with the enemy, Naruto got a new look at his new foe.

The creatures skin was blueish gray, resembling the color of a drowned corpse. It's fingernails and toenails were unnaturally long, and looked wickedly sharp. The monster was tall, bordering seven feet. But this was impossible to tell, however, as the creature possessed such a hunched back, that it was scarcely taller then Naruto.

From it's hunched back jutted a pair of wings, though how they creature had flown at him with them was beyond Naruto. The wings were not unlike those of a raven or crow's, but they looked dull, rotten even. Even as it stood before him, Naruto saw some of the feathers flake off and fall to the ground. Portions of the wings didn't have feathers at all, instead revealing stark white bone beneath.

Its head was rapped in what looked like a dirty burlap sack, which hid most of it's features. But through the holes in the eyes, Naruto saw glowing yellow eyes filled with malice and despair. A rip for the mouth revealed disgusting yellow teeth set in an animalistic growl.

Clutched in its hands was a large spear, easily longer then the creature was tall. Each end was fastened with a serrated spear head, which was caked in layers of blood from fights past. All in all, the creature was a very imposing sight.

And the saddest fact of all, was that this creature had once been beautiful. For in truth, the demon that stood before Naruto was once a Tenshi. A creature in the service of Kami herself, the Tenshi had lived to serve their holy mistress, and did all she asked. In this way they were happy. But some of the Tenshi had done a great wrong by their blessed mistress. For they had dared to disobey her. Unlike their brothers and sisters, when given the choice, they had not followed one of Kami's most important orders.

She had commanded them to love the ones she named **humans**.

But some of the Tenshi could not follow such an order. They saw the human race as pathetic and weak. Their anger at being commanded to bow before such an insignificant species drove them insane with rage. In that rage, they launched an attack on the kingdom of man, and slaughtered many of them. When Kami found out, she became furious, and used her powers to bring them before her to answer for their actions. They were found guilty and would pay the price for it, and indeed it was with a heavy heart that Kami dealt out their severe punishment.

For their crimes they had been stripped of their beauty and power, their rank and their honor, their incredible minds, and finally their majestic wings. When all was taken from them, they were cast downward deep into the Inferno. Because their hatred of man had driven them to ruin, they were sent to the Fifth circle to wonder endlessly.

After a while the Great Evil One, who ruled the Inferno, decided that if the Fallen Tenshi were indeed to stay in the Fifth circle of his realm, the least they could do was be useful. With his power he endowed the pitiful creatures with meager weapons and powers, and most importantly: wings, to by their loyalty. But the wings were not permanent, and would rot away if the Tenshi did not please their dark master. Though their minds were lost to endless fury, it was decided that they possessed enough mental ability to act as enforcers. And so it was that the once proud Tenshi became the Fallen; little more then thuggish guards of the damned. They didn't seem to mind, after all; they got to lord over and torture the very souls of those they felt brought them to this endless nightmare of an existence in the first place.

But Naruto was not one to be easily intimidated. After all, it wasn't like he knew anything about the creature baring down on him. To him, it was just another demon blocking his path. Deciding to show this new demon just who he was messing with, he slipped Kami amulet into his empt palm. Angling it upward at the Fallen, he unleashed a blast that would have turned even a thrown demon to ash in seconds. Closing his eyes briefly to shield them from the flash, Naruto was surprised when he doesn't feel the pressure baring down on him lighten up at all. When the light fades, Naruto found, to his shock, that the monster was still there, totally unharmed. The only thing that had happened was that it's head had been thrown back, it's eyes wide, a glimmer of non-hate filled emotion flickering across it's pupils.

Suddenly, the creature breathed in, and Naruto felt, rather then saw, the excess holy energy being drawn from the air toward the creature. Then, in the blink of an eye, the energy became a visible, tangible cloud, which was sucked rapidly into its body. Naruto watched in horror as the demon's body actually seemed to be drawing strength from the pure energy, instead of cowering in fear of it.

As soon as it started, it stopped, and the creatures head snapped down to face Naruto so fast he thought its neck might snap. Its hate filled eyes glowed with power, and Naruto felt rather then saw his arms shake with the the strain to hold back this new enemy. But that wasn't his only problem.

In the distance he could here the cawing sounds of crows, but louder and deeper. Chancing a glance in the direction of the noise, Naruto almost went pale at the sight of at least five other creatures flying toward him. They were still a distance away, so Naruto knew that he'd have to finish off this demon quickly if he didn't want to be flanked.

But this though just brought about a moment of panic. His amulet hadn't worked. Kami's might hadn't hurt this creature, in fact, it seemed to have empowered it.

Naruto shook his head clear of such thoughts. He couldn't afford any distractions right now. He knew he could overpower this foe, he just had to.

And little by little, the more he pumped himself up, the stronger he felt. Soon, he was the one pushing the hideous demon back. Finally, with a great heave, he pushed the demon's spear upward, and struck him in the chest with his bead covered arm. As soon as he hit the sand paper like skin of the Fallen he channeled magic into the Prayer Beads. The beads struck with a blow that would have made Gai sensei proud, causing the Fallen to double over. Quick as a flash, Naruto lashed out with his Ninjato, cleaving off the Fallen's spear arm, and leaving a deep gouge in its chest. Remarkably, the fallen Tenshi didn't die, but rather stumbled back clutching its wound.

It looked up, and Naruto's gaze followed. His eyes widened as five more Fallen landed on the ground, forming a pentagram around the inured one. For a moment, all was still, the only noise heard was the rushing of the River Styx behind them.

Then the Fallen struck. But not at Naruto. Instead, they attacked their weakened comrade, burying him under a mass of writhing bodies and agonizing shrieks. Naruto stood rooted to the ground in horror as he watched them devour the Fallen who was too weak to fight back.

Naruto knew he would have to get by them, but he wasn't sure how to without attracting their attention. Suddenly Naruto wondered if he was going to die here, just like the Fallen he'd faced. His Holy magic didn't work on these creatures for some reason, and he'd only just held off one.

But then Naruto felt a warmth rising in his chest. Looking down, he saw the amulet of Kami giving off a gentle warm glow. Naruto relaxed, Kami had not abandoned him. He would get through this; he had to. He still had friends waiting for him, and he didn't have a lot of time to waste.

And it was a good thing Naruto had gotten to that conclusion, because as soon as he did, the remaining five Fallen turned to face him. They stepped away from their prey, now reduced to nothing but bones, and prepared to advance on him. But Naruto was not afraid. He knew that he possessed the strength to win.

The Fallen's heads twitched and tilted as they observed their new pray. Moments before they had smelt fear from him; had seen it in his face. But now they were getting a different feeling. His once fearful face had changed, becoming obscured by a strange mask, and the fear they felt was replaced by an emotion the Fallen had not felt in eons: Hope. Hope burned through the boy, no, the man in front of them, and somehow, that Hope was starting to burn in them as well. And it hurt.

Naruto wasn't sure what was happening, but he wasn't about to complain. The moment his hopeful resolve had set in, he'd felt a draining of his chakra, and a weight appear on his face. He realized seconds later that it was the Mask, but before he could do anything, he felt a pulse of chakra leave the Mask, invisible to all but him it seemed. The pulse past through the Fallen, with only a twitch, and Naruto felt some sort of connection established between him, the Fallen, and his Mask. A voice he wasn't sure he heard began to whisper to him; commanding him to focus on the Hope he felt. He did so, and immediately he felt like his Hope was flowing through the Mask's connection to the Fallen.

Moments later, many of the Fallen doubled over in pain. What Naruto did not know was that the Fallen lacked the capacity to feel most emotions, and they especially didn't feel positive ones like Hope. Hope was a feeling no being in Hell was ever allowed to feel. But now, with such a feeling forced upon them, they could not help but think of the old days where they served in their mistresses' good graces. And these thoughts brought great pain to the Fallen's souls. So great, that they were unable to do anything as the soul they had considered pray moments before suddenly multiplied.

Naruto wasn't sure what the Mask had done to the demons, but he wasn't about to waste the advantage. Summoning four clones, he and his duplicates went to work. If Holy Chakra didn't do the trick, then they'd have to do things with a more hands on approach. Which was just fine with Naruto.

Moments later, the all of the Fallen were dead, and Naruto's clones dispelled. Willing the Mask away to save chakra, Naruto turned and finally found the path he was supposed to travel before all this mess started.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto sighed as he wiped the sweat from his brow. This circle was too damn humid. He wasn't normally one to complain about little things like that, but his nerves were really raw at this point, and he was about ready to snap.

He'd just finished a brief conversation with the Kyubi. Well, maybe conversation wasn't the right word, more like a series of quips. The longest part of the whole deal was when she explained to him exactly what it was he was fighting before.

While he did feel a great deal of sadness for the fate of the Fallen, he was admittedly irk-ed by their apparent immunity to his Holy powers.

The rest had been rather quick, such as him asking Kyubi if she knew anything about the odd Mask he now had. Oddly enough, Kyubi had just shrugged it off, saying that one as ancient as herself knew a great deal; but that didn't mean she remembered all of it. Which roughly translated as: "I have no idea."

The only other thing she had said to him was right before she left, and he'd asked her if there were any other demons he would need to look out for. Her response:

_"Outside of the standard demon folk? Not really, you shouldn't worry about any of those down here, you'll be fine." _she said, vanishing.

But just as Naruto got ready to walk away, she reappeared, saying _"Oh! Do keep a look out of the Lord of Tengus though. He'll likely kill you as soon as look at you, and he's far more experienced in the art of magics, combat, and trickery then you are. So make sure to avoid him alright? Though come to think of it, I'm not quite sure where he is down here… huh. That could be a problem. Oh well. But other then him, you'll probably be fine. Probably. Most likely. Maybe….. " _and vanished, a strange look of thought on her face.

And that lead to where he was now, trying to find his way out of Anger, with out running into anymore Fallen, or this 'Lord of Tengu'.

Coming out of short tunnel of foliage, Naruto saw that his path appeared to by partially covered by swamp. Naruto shrugged, not really concerned. Putting chakra into his legs, he did a power leap to a rock sitting in the middle of the swamp.

But trouble reared its ugly head as soon as his feet hit the ground. The ground began to rumble and shake, and before Naruto knew it, the whole rock platform was sinking into the muck. Suddenly the whole ground just fell away, leaving Naruto to fall down the strange hole in the middle of the swamp. Right after he'd fallen out of sight, the swamp seemed to merge back together, completely obscuring the hole.

Naruto fell down a seemingly endless twisting tunnel, which was coated in centuries of slime and Kami knew what else. As suddenly as it started, it ended. Naruto found himself flying from another whole, and skidding across the stone floor.

Trying to shake the stars from his head, Naruto sat up and rubbed the back of his head, relieved when he didn't feel any blood.

In the distance, he could vaguely hear the sound of shuffling feet and labored breathing. Naruto cast a look out for the source of the noise, but he needn't have bothered. The room filled with the noise of deep belly laughter. Jerking around so fast he almost fell down again, Naruto came to face the oddest looking thing he'd seen today. It wasn't scary or creepy like the rest of the Inferno. No, it was just odd…..

_**"Greetings young one! I am know in this place as Lord Warugi, Lord of theTengu! And just who might you be?"**_

_-Naruto In Hell-_**Be Careful Who You Tengu-l With **or **It Takes Two To Tengu** **  
**

Lord Warugi was definitely a strange looking individual. Frankly, had he been walking about in the world of the living, he may have given Gai sensei a run for his money.

The Tengu was eight feet tall, give or take, with gray skin and wearing a shockingly pink and lavender robe, decorated with pictures of various flowers and a purple fuzzy rope used as a belt. Well, maybe it wasn't really a robe, so much as it was a muumuu. Actually, looking at it Naruto would say it looked like the evil love child of a robe, a night gown, and a muumuu. Yeah, that sounded right, Naruto thought to himself, nodding inwardly as he took in the rest of the bizarre creatures appearance.

The Lord was blatantly overweight, with a massive beer belly that threatened to split open the robe which contained it. He wore basic sandals, which were open-toed and showed off his bird like talons.

His face was something else altogether. The skin on his forehead was drawn back tightly, leaving his eyes to bulge almost comically in his head. But the skin of his cheeks and chin sagged so terribly it looked like they were melting.

And of course, being a Tengu, he did possess the universal traits of the species. His nose was large and bulbous, and stuck out nearly a foot from his face. He had large floppy ears which resembled bat wings. Speaking of wings, Naruto couldn't tell if the Lord had any or not, as the Lord had yet to turn around for Naruto to get a good look at his back. But even if he did, Naruto figured they'd have to be some massive wings to get the guy off the ground.

The last thing he noticed were the objects on the Lord's person. In his right hand he held a large priests staff, decked out with a multitude of bells, which he was using as a walking stick. In his left hand, Naruto could see what looked like a fan clenched in his pudgy fingers. That put Naruto somewhat on edge; everyone knew the stories about what a Tengu was capable of doing with a simple wave of their fans. And lastly, a simple sake bottle was tied to his belt sash. What was odd was that the sake bottle was relatively small compared to the large size of its owner. And unlike the staff or fan, it didn't seem to have anything outwardly special about it. Of course, something so inconspicuous merely heightened his suspicion of it, and he was sure that he could almost remember a story about a Tengu's sake bottle.

Any further thoughts on the strange appearance of the Tengu were interrupted when the Lord Warugi once again filled the cavern with his loud and boisterous voice.

_**"What's the matter boy? Can't you speak? Perhaps you hit your head harder then it seems." **_he said nodding his head as though he had discovered some great secret. _**"Very well then, come along and we'll get you fixed up over a nice bottle of sake. And then you can tell me all about how such a pure human soul got this deep into the Inferno." **_he said before turning around and walking out of the room.

Naruto blinked. That was not what he had expected at all. And because he really had no idea what else to do or where to go, he figured he may as well follow the strange looking demon, and try to figure out just what the hell he was going to do next.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

"… and the next thing I know, I was down here" Naruto said, having finished his story. After assuring the Lord that he was fine, the Tengu had set up a sake set at a moderate sized table that looked out of proportion for both of them. It came to Naruto's chest when he was sitting down, but looked like a child's set from where the Tengu sat. Once their, Warugi had listened with rapped attention to Naruto's story while drinking sake from his apparently bottomless gourd. Naruto hadn't had the chance to have any yet, having been wrapped up in telling his story. And despite the saucer sitting before him looking simple and innocent, something in him told him not to drink it.

_**"What a fascinating tale, truly marvelous." **_the Tengu said nodding so fast his droopy cheeks flapped. _**"To think one such as you could accomplish so much. You are a far better story teller then my last human guest." **_the Lord said, before downing his saucer of sake in a single gulp. _**"Though I'll admit you're not nearly as attractive!" **_he commented, before laughing like he'd said the funniest thing in the world.

But now it was the Lord who had Naruto's complete attention. The Tengu had seen another human soul? When? If he was holding a conversation with it, Naruto couldn't imagine that it was one of the shades; they hardly seemed like the type of people the Tengu would be talking too. And attractive? Unless this Tengu swung the other way, that meant that the other guest had been female. On the off chance it was one of his friends, it certainly narrowed who it might be down a bit. The only girls left still to find would his teammate Sakura, that weapons girl Tenten, and Gaara's sister Temari. But who could it be?

Naruto had to stop himself right there. He didn't even know for sure that it was one of his friends. He wanted to just ask, but the Kyubi's warning about the Tengu popped into his mind. He'd have to be somewhat discreet about this. Focusing on the **still **laughing Tengu, Naruto cleared his throat to try and get his attention.

"So, Lord Warugi" he said, finally getting the demonic creatures attention. "You were telling me about your other guest?" he asked trying hard to not sound like he was snooping. Luckily the Tengu didn't seem to notice, and simply took another gulp of sake as he responded.

_**"Oh…yes… some girl ended up falling through my swamp just like you. What are the odds? Anyway, she was telling me all about how she was looking for her brothers, or lover, or some such thing." **_Warugi said waving his hand dismissively at the end. _**"Personally I've never been one for romance stories" **_he continued. _**"Thankfully her astounding beauty made listening to her boorish tale bearable." **_he said, as he blushed slightly. But then his good mood seemed to drop _**"But when she finished her story, she wanted to leave! How could I be expected to allow one of the few lovely things in this Hell to leave me alone?" **_he asked, throwing his arms out in what Naruto assumed was supposed to be dramatic, but really just made the Tengu look like he was about to tip over. Then in a flash, the Tengu's good humor was back in full force, as he grinned a smile that literally stretched to his ears _**"Luckily I was able to convince her to give up her boring quest, and to stay here as my latest bride… forever." **_he said.

Naruto gulped, suddenly feeling a little nervous "Latest bride?" he asked, thinking about what the monster had inadvertently revealed to him. Of all the girls, only Temari had any brothers, so it must be her. Now all he had to do was figure out where she was and get her the hell out of here.

Warugi nodded _**"Yes, for I am doomed to be a widower you see. My wives never seem to last long enough. But I am an honorable Tengu, I keep them with me always" **_he said, pointing upward. Naruto cast a wary eye upward, and blanched at what he saw.

Hundreds of cages of every shape and size hung from the cathedral like ceiling. Some looked fairly new, no more then a few months old. Others were so old they were barely clinging to the roof with rust covered chains. But no matter how different every cage appeared, they all had one similarity: They were filled with bones. Each cage housed a sad looking skeleton, their bones immaculately clean and stark white compared to their surroundings. They all wore the clothing of their former lives, each in a various state of disrepair. He could easily spot the rich kimonos of nobles, the ninja vests of shinobi from at least half a dozen villages; Naruto was pretty sure he even saw a skeleton wearing the tattered loincloth of one of the Temptresses.

But it was the center cage that drew the most attention. This cage was the one in the best shape, and seemed the newest. It was also the only one with a living occupant. Inside he could see the unconscious form of a battered Temari, still wearing the battle kimono she'd worn to the final battle, though at present her signature battle fan was nowhere in sight. But what really stirred the rage in Naruto, were the bruises on her face and arms. Those were clearly recent, and from what he could recall of his last moments on Earth, Temari had received no such injuries on the battlefield. And if that was the case, then that could only mean…..

"What did you do to her?" Naruto asked, his voice filled with a quite, yet all to serious, fury.

Warugi didn't seem at all concerned with his guest's sudden attitude change. Instead he chose to sip his refilled sake saucer as he continued to glance up at Temari's prone form.

_**"What? Oh, the bruises. Well, she didn't really care much for the idea of becoming my bride, so I'm afraid I had to force her to see the error of her choice. She put up quite the fight, but…" **_he said shrugging his shoulders, in a manner one might use to discuss the weather. _**"from there a simple sleep spell will keep her out of commission until I'm ready to apply the seals and bind her to me. At which point she'll do whatever I want, whenever I want her to" **_he finished, finally looking at Naruto, his face set into a lecherous grin. But unlike the grin Pervy-Sage used to have (a slight blush and a small bloody nose), this was the grin of a true sexual deviant. The kind who would have no problem stripping a girl of her free will, and forcing her to pleasure him for eternity. Or at least until he grew tired of her.

Had Naruto still had the Kyubi sealed in him, he may have entered into a cloaked state right then.

Clenching his fist, Naruto stood up from his spot, glaring at the Tengu "That girl is one of the ones I've come to save." he said simply, trying not to rush into a fight with the Kyubi's warning still in his mind. The small naive part of him that still looked for the good in everyone he met hopped that Warugi would give him Temari, and allow them to avoid a fight.

However, the Tengu just looked at him, raising a single bushy eyebrow _**"And?" **_he asked in a drawl that only served to annoy Naruto further.

"And, I can't allow you to do that. So please, release her to me, and I will continue my journey, and we won't have to fight here." he said.

The Tengu stood up, his face no longer happy. He glared down at Naruto _**"You can't 'allow' me to do it?" **_he asked, _**"Boy, I doubt you could stop me if you tried. You forget your place human insect." **_he stated gripping his staff in both hands. For a moment, it looked like he was going to leap over the table to get to Naruto. But then he stopped, and took a deep breath. Looking up at Naruto, Naruto was on guard instantly at seeing the strange look in his eye. _**"Alright then human… Naruto" **_he said, _**"If we are indeed going to fight for the fate of the maiden, then let us at least finish our drinks first" **_he said, pouring himself one last saucer, and quickly downing it. Seeing that Naruto had never touched his, he picked up the saucer and placed it in Naruto's hand. _**"Drink, boy, so that we can begin our battle." **_

Naruto shook his head "Sorry, I'm underaged, I can't drink this." he said, not trusting the simple looking drink.

The Tengu smiled condescendingly _**"The laws of man do not apply here. Now, drink." **_

Naruto didn't care what the rules were here. Why was it so important that he drink this? Was it really a Tengu rule of honor? He wasn't a Tengu, so why would the Lord expect him to follow? But by the way the Tengu was looking at him, he worried he wasn't going to get out of drinking it. Now normally, this wouldn't bother Naruto, but every time he looked at the saucer warning bells went off in his head, telling him to not even touch the drink. Deciding that his instincts hadn't lead him wrong yet, he decided to act on them.

Lifting the saucer up to his lips, Naruto's nose suddenly twitched, before he sneezed explosively. The saucer fell from his hands onto the table, spilling the contents. As soon as the clear looking liquid touched the table, it immediately started to sizzle, quickly burring a hole through it to the floor below. And then burning a hole into the floor.

Naruto glared at Warugi. If he'd drank any of that he'd have been killed. Naruto wasn't sure if thee drink had always been acid, or if the Tengu had changed it when he past him the saucer; but now it was irrelevant.

The Tengu just shrugged his shoulder as the table collapsed and dissolved away. He had hopped to simply kill the human with the drink and avoid the battle. It wasn't that he thought he couldn't defeat the human in a fair fight, but frankly, Tengu almost never fought fair. That, and he had heard rumors floating down from the upper levels of a human defeating many of the demons he came across. Glancing at the glaring human, the Lord just shrugged unabashedly _**"oops" **_he said with a sneer, hoping to rile up the stupid human worm.

It worked, and the boy quickly drew his Ninjato from it's sheath, and an Amulet from his pocket; while his face was suddenly covered by a strange Golden Mask. Gripping his staff tightly, Warugi prepared himself for what he was sure would be an interesting fight.

A moment later, Naruto leaped forward, and the battle was on.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Switching his Ninjato into a reverse grip, he pumped charka into his legs and leapt over the table toward the demon. The demon was surprisingly quick, which was all that saved him from being split in two. Naruto did manage to leave a nice gash across his side, as well as tearing a piece out of the hideous muumuu.

Before he could pat himself on the back, Warugi spun around and struck him across the back with his staff. The blow was so powerful that Naruto flew across the room, and slide right into the wall. Naruto winced as he stood up; he'd felt that through his special armor. Narrowing his eyes, he knew he was really going to have to focus against this guy. Kyubi had said he was skilled at magic, and it looked like he wasn't a slouch at close quarters combat either. The only advantage Naruto had on him was his speed.

Wait! He did have something else, he realized as he began to stare hard at the Tengu, focusing power on the Mask that had appeared as soon as the fight started. Looking at the Tengu lord, he focused on all the fear he'd ever felt in his life: the terror of the war, the fear he'd felt when he thought he'd failed his friends, and the sense of terror that was ever present in the inferno. All of these feelings of fear were channeled through the Mask, and when Naruto felt he could contain no more, he let it go. An instant later a wave of concentrated fear screamed out of his Mask, heading toward the only other conscious occupant in the room.

But the Tengu stood his ground, seemingly nonplussed as the wave of pure fear washed over him. Naruto felt his stomach tighten at that. What had gone wrong? Did the Tengu Lord do something to his magic?

In fact, the Tengu Lord hadn't done much of anything. He had sensed the power of the Mask as soon as Naruto began to gather it to him. Frankly, he was a bit surprised; where had the boy found something that channeled emotion magic? Being centuries old, Warugi had come across a multitude of magics during the time he'd walked the earth above; so this wasn't completely foreign to him. It was a rare magic to be sure, but not totally unheard of.

So, as the magic washed over him, and tried to sow terror into the crevices of his mind, he found he was able to shake it off rather easily. It was clear to him that the boy wasn't experienced in the power he was using, and was going for a brute force tactic. But being a skilled practitioner of magic, Warugi knew all the right protections and incantations to ward off any magic that might actually prove to be a threat. But it seemed it wouldn't be needed here. Because he knew the type of magic he was dealing with, he could more then adequately prepare himself for any mental onslaught the boy sent his way. Sadly, this meant that Naruto would find that his newest weapon, was now completely useless in this fight.

He smirked at Naruto's confused, almost panicked face. _**"What's the matter boy?" **_he called out, _**"Didn't get what you were hoping for?" **_he said as his face twisted into a vicious sneer _**that sort of trick may work on the other, weaker, demons of this place; but here… " **_he said his voice becoming ominous as he reached for his fan, opening it with the flick of the wrist _**"here it is my magic that reigns supreme!" **_he cried, swinging his fan in a wide flourish.

It took all the speed Naruto could muster to avoid the wave of magic that speed toward him. Just barely making it, he turned and saw the wave of energy unleashed from the fan slam into the wall. The next second, a large section of the wall disappeared. No explosion, no flashes. One second the wall was there, the next it wasn't. Naruto gulped, he was going to have to be really careful here.

Slipping his amulet into his palm, Naruto fired off several blast of Holy Chakra at the large Tengu, his bulbous frame making him an easy target.

Seeing the disgusting holy magic heading his way, Warugi held his staff in front of him, and used it to deflect the oncoming projectiles. Luckily, his staff was enchanted, and thus was able to stave off the blessed assault. When Naruto stopped firing for a moment, Warugi retaliated, slamming his staff on to the ground, channelling his magic down through the staff. The moment the staff touched the ground, the bells upon it began to ring unnaturally loud.

The next thing Naruto knew, the ground beneath his feet had turned into quicksand, and he was rapidly going under. It actually reminded him a lot of Pervy Sage's swamp technique. Well, if this guy wanted to start throwing around spells like they were candy, Naruto could play that game too. Forming a familiar cross shaped seal, Naruto pumped enough chakra into his "Shadow Clone" technique for an army.

And an army he got; for the next instance the room was shrouded in smoke, which the Tengu Lord managed to disperse with a few waves of his fan. When he did, he saw that not only was the room filled with upwards of fifty replicas of the brat he was facing, but that they had teamed up to free their creator from perishing in his quicksand. Seeing them avoiding his sand trap, he raised his staff; which ended the spell. As he did, all of the Naruto's clones prepared themselves for battle. Some unsheathed their Ninjatos; others palmed their amulets; whilst the last took aim with their Golden Prayer Beads.

For a moment all was still, until at last clones charged brazenly forward.

The Tengu was assailed from all sides, as the clone hoards descended on him. Even as he spun in a great sweeping circle, using his staff to blast back the the first wave of clones, he was force to grit his great yellow teeth as the Prayer beads slammed into his unprotected back. Had he been made of softer stuff, he would have been perforated by the onslaught of glittering jewelry.

Raising his staff, he cast a bolt of lightning which flew toward the firing clones, only for them to move quickly out of the line of fire. Turning back to the nearer threat, the clones leaping at him with Ninjatos raised, he found himself locked in melee combat. Moving quickly despite his large size, he was able to deliver a series of devastating blows to the clones, sending them flying away only to disappear in puffs of smoke.

One of the dopplegangers got close enough to slash at his robe, causing the demon to backpedal out of harms way. Aware that more of the clones were trying to subtly flank him, he knew he needed to act fast. With lightning speed, he kicked a clone in the balls hard enough to launch it backwards towards the long range clones; taking great pleasure at the high-pitched squeak of agony.

Turning on his heel, he lashed out with fan hand, a single flick of the large fan halting the onslaught of beads in mid air. In that same instant that he completed his turn to face the next wave of Ninjato-clones, he flicked his wrist again. This time though, it caused the beads to glow a fierce orange as they flew backwards towards their senders. The clones tried to dodge, but found themselves decimated when the beads suddenly exploded around them.

Facing the last wave of attackers, he found his staff locked in place as six clones bore down on him with their Ninjatos. Grunting with effort, the Lord found himself having to put away his fan, so that he could make use of both hands to hold back the clone menace.

One of the clones smirked "Not so tuff without your magic staff are you?" he stated mockingly. That really made the Tengu's blood boil. No one mocked him. Ever. With a bestial roar, he pushed the clones back and spun his staff. Muttering something Naruto couldn't hear, the bells on the end of his staff took flight into the air, before changing. They flattened out into discs, strange ruins etched on the sides, all of them pointing at the Naruto clones.

Warugi smirked, making a simple hand gesture that only somewhat resembled a hand sign. After that he only spoke two words _**"Sonic Doom". **_

As soon as the words left his lips, the ruins on the disc glowed a furious red. As they did, they began to vibrate at a speed that almost made them invisible. And from these discs came sound. Sound so powerful that the room would likely have been torn asunder if it hadn't been protected by the proper ruins.

The Naruto clones fell to their feet, clenching their ears. Naruto was hidden among them, and was doing his best to keep his clones stable by channeling a steady stream of chakra. But this noise made it so hard to concentrate.

Warugi inwardly chuckled at the human's futile efforts to keep his pathetic clones from bursting. Because it was his magic making the sound, he was of course immune. He decided to up the ante, and increased the power in the sound spell.

His efforts were rewarded, as he saw one of the Narutos fall to his knees, ears beginning to bleed under the sonic assault. Soon after, the remaining clones couldn't hold themselves together anymore, and all left with a great bang.

Warugi blew the resulting smoke away with his fan as he began to advance on the downed Naruto. He canceled the Sonic Doom spell, as he didn't want the poor boys brains to liquify before he could be given a horrible death. He smirked at the boy, hands clasped over his ears, eyes wide, trying feebly to stand. _**"Not so tough now are you worm." **_he said to the boy, using his magic to freeze the boy in a standing position. He passively thought that it was possible that he'd robbed the boy of his hearing with that last attack. Oh well, it didn't matter. He flicked open his fan and pointed it at Naruto, ready to finish the boy off. _**"Die knowing it was your massive ego that failed your mission mortal. Your friends will remain here to suffer for all time, all because you had to go and get a big head" **_he smirked at the end, waving his fan at boy.

Naruto stiffened and gasped, his eyes wide with fright. Suddenly, his eyes widened some more, as they began to grow far beyond what human eyes were meant to. But it wasn't just his eyes, it was his ears too. And his nose and lips. It was his whole head. Naruto's whole head was swelling like a balloon, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Soon Naruto's head was bigger then his entire body, and still growing. It was only the magic of the Tengu that allowed him to continue standing. Warugi released the spell on the boys head, only to laugh boisterously as his now chair sized eyes spun widely in his head, looking frantically for a way to escape.

Calming himself, Warugi knew it was time to finish it. With a simple wave, he conjured a small breezed to blow against the lads precariously balanced head. It worked, and the massive head of Naruto Uzumaki tilted backwards, before it snapped back all the way, snapping his regularly sized neck. Naruto Uzumaki was dead.

The Tengu smirked down at his fallen foe, embracing his well earned victory. But a sudden noise behind him gave him pause. It sounded like the howling of the wind. Something was wrong.

Then the body of Uzumaki Naruto burst, revealing itself to be nothing but a clone! Warugi, horrified at the thought that he had been duped, turned as the sound of the wind grew stronger.

He looked up, to see that damnable Uzumaki with three of his clones, looking down toward him from high on his wall, a large swirling mass of energy between them.

Naruto smirked, this was his finest prank yet to be sure. When the clones had all dispelled, he'd used the cover to create a second clone on the wall, and replaced himself with it. It had been an effort to channel enough chakra to keep it stable through the death process, but it was worth it. He nodded to his clones as they dismissed themselves upon completing their task. He looked down on his latest technique with pride. A Rasenshuriken with Tempest and Holy Magic mixed in. Damn he was good. As he let his masterpiece soar toward the Tengu, he laughed as he saw the Lord raise his staff in a desperate attempt to stop the inevitable. The instant before it struck, he let out one last jab "Gottcha"

The staff snapped under the assault, and sphere of power slammed into him like a freight train. But that wasn't what really hurt. No, it was the explosion that hurt most. The explosion was something massive, nearly reaching Naruto's position as the millions of tiny wind blades, coated in Holy Chakra, sliced into his flesh.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto dropped down from the wall, dusting himself off as he did, admiring his handiwork as smoke and dust filled the room. Truthfully he was quite proud of that last attack. Taking Kami's amulet from his pocket, he began the process of healing himself. He hadn't faked the bleeding ears, they really had been hurt by that sound attack. After that, he'd go ahead and get Temari out of her cage, and after checking on her, send her on her way.

His thoughts were interrupted however, by the sounds of pained groaning and shifting. Naruto's eyes squinted, there was no way…..

As the dust settled, Naruto was treated to the sight of a brutally injured Tengu. His muumuu in tatters, his pointed nose clearly broken, and covered in multiple bleeding wounds. He pulled himself to the wall, flipping himself over to lean against it. He was breathing heavily, the result of the deepest slash being across his chest where the blessed Rasengan had struck him. He glared at Naruto, as though trying to reduce him to ashes with his very gaze. He might actually be able to do that, Naruto thought ideally to himself, but was sure that without his staff and fan he wouldn't…. oh crap… the Fan!

While his last attack had reduced the Tengu's magic staff to splitters, somehow the fan had survived the assault, along with the suspiciously non-suspicious looking gourd.

Warugi wheezed as he flicked open his fan, his glare never leaving Naruto. _**"You think you've won, you insignificant worm?" **_he asked, his breathing heavy. He made a wet sound from his throat, that Naruto realized was laughter. _**"Fool. Even if you do defeat me, you are up against forces you have no possible chance of comprehending, let alone besting." **_he said, a smug grin on his face, made somewhat less threatening by the number of teeth that had been knocked out. _**"And as for your pretty little friend up there?" **_he asked, pointing toward's Temari's cage with his fan, making Naruto stiffen with worry. He chuckled _**"I'm afraid she won't be pretty for too much longer…" **_he trailed off, a wave of dark gray and purple magic soaring from his fan toward's Temari's prone form.

The magic struck the cage with such force that it fell to the ground with a mighty crash. Naruto ran to the cage and looked inside, his face turning white at what he saw. Temari was lying on the ground, her whole body seizing in agony.

"What have you done!" he shouted to the injured Tengu, who only laughed harder.

_**"I made her into a demon" **_he said simply. _**"Soon the the transformation will be complete, and my new demon bride will happily rend you limb from limb." **_he cried out, his eyes filled with madness. _**"You've failed Uzumaki, this one is mine! And their is nothing you can do about it!" **_he cried, his voice echoing amid the cries from Temari as her whole body began to change.

Temari sat up, hands clawing at her face as her eyes started to filcher and change, becoming darker, her pupils becoming slits. Her hands started to become claws, which left deep bloody scratches in her skin as she clawed at herself. From her back, flesh suddenly flew away, as a great pair of wings exploded from shoulder blades. Each wing was large, and bore a striking resemblance to the fan she had used in life. They even had the three purple moons on them.

And then Temari started to flap her wings. Even though the transformation wasn't nearly complete, she had apparently already gotten some of her demon power. With every flap of her great wings, the room shook as gale force winds flooded the area. Warugi was able affix himself to the floor through the use of a basic sticking charm, while Naruto had to make do with channeling a metric butt load of chakra to his feet.

Of course, concentrating was a little difficult, given that most of his mind was centered on trying to figure out how to reverse the transformation. Taking another shaky step toward Temari, he looked down at Kami's amulet. This thing had proven itself to be able to reverse most injuries, so shouldn't it be able to reverse the demon's magic? Looking back though, he realized that that was only after he had destroyed their demon forms. But Temari didn't have a demon form. Not yet anyway. So now he had a real dilemma. He couldn't let her become a full demon, because then he'd be forced to fight her, and he wasn't sure if he was up to right now. But if he wasn't going to fight her, he wasn't sure what else he could do. Looking down at the amulet again, then back at Temari, whose thrashing was slowing down as the transformation neared completion, figured that there was really only one thing to do: Pray.

Focusing on Temari, he channeled his immense desire to save her through the conduit to Kami's power; hoping that it would understand his desire and act to fulfill his wishes.

Slowly at first, then rapidly, tiny balls of white light flew from the amulet. They floated gracefully toward the thrashing Temari, seemingly unaffected by the gale force winds she put off. One by one, they attached themselves to her. As the first few attached, she jerked in pain, her back arching to such an extent Naruto was almost sure it would snap. But as more and more adhered to her, she began to calm down, and as she did, so did the wind.

Warugi narrowed his eyes. This was impossible! No power was greater then his magic! He focused more of his power through his fan into the girl, desperate to transform her before whatever the boy had a chance to do would work.

Temari began to thrash as the black magic sought to change her, with some of the white light fading away as she did. This only made Naruto pray harder, causing more light to encircle her. Soon, Temari's visage was bifurcated, one half of her appearing the way she did in life. The other half was the product of Lord Tengu's black magic.

Warugi called out to Naruto _**"Can't you see that it's useless? Now matter how powerful you think you are, my magic is a thousand times greater" **_he boasted.

This guy was really getting on Naruto's nerves. He concentrated and pulled every last once of Kami's power that he could to the surface. So much power, that it bathed him in a glowing white light. Naruto wasn't sure, but he thought he could actually feel himself growing stronger, as though Kami had reached out and awoken something deep inside of him. And whatever it was, really wanted that Tengu to shut up.

_**"You will fail Uzumaki." **_he cried _**"The girl is mine, all your efforts are merely wast-" **_he was cut off as Naruto's eyes snapped open, showing off blue eyes that glowed like the brightest sapphires. But his pupils, it seemed had become the same sterling sliver white that came from the amulet. For the first time sense he had started the healing process, Naruto focused his gaze onto Warugi. Warugi froze as those eyes locked onto him; piercing his everlasting soul with his gaze. And then he spoke.

"Silence _you _**filthy **_**cur" **_he snapped, his voice a strange mixture of his own, and something else, something ancient and powerful. _**"Keep **_**your **_forked _tongue _**behind **_**your **_teeth!" _he threatened, and actually, the Tengu's mouth did snap close with an audible snap.

Naruto then walked toward Temari, for some reason no longer hampered by the wind; though at this point that was beginning to die down anyway. He stepped into Temari's cage, and the girl froze at his presence. She turned to him, her human teal eye gazing at him in hope and wonder, while her sickly yellow demon eye glared at him with hate and disgust. That was the eye Naruto focused on. He met it's gaze, daring it to challenge him. Naruto felt, more then saw, desperately trying to overwhelm Temari's human half, though for some reason was unable to do so with him so close.

Naruto raised the amulet to Temari's eye level, and he smirked as could feel the demon within trying desperately not to be in it's light. Naruto's voice was low as he spoke, in tone that booked no argument _"Back _to _**the **_**shadows **_that _spawned _**you" **_he said, feeling the last bits of power the demon had unwinding fast. Seeing the demon half hesitate, he glared _**"N**_**O**_W_!" he added. And with that word, demon Temari faded away, back to wherever it is that nightmares come from. Temari's body changed back to normal, her great fan wings falling to the floor with a loud thump. Temari looked down at her human body, now in far better shape then she had been before. She looked at Naruto, her eyes filling with tears of gratitude. But before she could say anything, she saw Warugi in the corner of her eye.

Her eyes widened and her pupils dilated as she screamed in rage. Scooping up one of her wing fans, she swung with all her might, calling forth a deadly bladed wind. The Tengu was forced to parry with a wave of his own fan, meeting her blow for blow. But both were exhausted at that point, Warugi physically and Temari spiritually. Right as she raised her fan for another go, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she fainted.

Warugi smirked at his good fortune, and prepared to finish her off. Only for a blazing Kama blade to fly through his fan. He looked up, wide eyed at a glaring Naruto. "Enough" he said, grabbing the chain. When he did, he made sure to channel unholy chakra down the entire length of the chain. When the chakra reached the Kama blade, the already burning steel exploded with white hot flames. The fire bit at the Tengu's fingers, who pulled them back with a pain yelp. He then watched in despair as the unholy flames greedily reduced his precious mystic fan to nothing but ash and molten steel. _**"No **_**more **_magic" _he heard Naruto say, once more drawing his gaze.

Naruto was walking toward him with a single minded purpose, a clone left behind to take care of Temari. "Now _**is **_**the **_time _you _**die." **_he declared, a sense of finality in his voice.

The injured Lord chuckled darkly to himself, apparently not at all intimidated by his immanent demise. _**"Do you think I fear death, mortal?" **_he asked, popping the cork on the gourd that had been by his side since Naruto fist saw him. _**"Only the truly foolish fear death" **_he stated taking a deep swig from straight from the gourd. He looked at Naruto, who was only about ten feet from him. _**"No, it is not death I fear," **_he said with a chuckle, _**"I am embarrassed to say that it is something much more mundane." **_he turned the gourd upside down, peering inside, as though wondering why the gourd wasn't giving anymore sake. _**"I, my persistent adversary," **_his voice became deep, as he rested the gourd on his knee, the open end facing Naruto _**"fear the ocean" **_he finished, just as Naruto raised his sword over his head to strike the final blow.

As soon as he said those words, Naruto was blasted back by a geyser of salt water, flinging him back into the far wall. Naruto saw Warugi stand, a wicked grin on his face as his gourd continued to fill the room with water. Naruto looked over, and saw to his relief that his clone was water walking with Temari. He also noted that the Tengu Lord could apparently water walk too. Great.

_**"The ocean, so vast and mysterious, full of wonder" **_the demon said, walking across the water, a slight limp in his step from earlier. _**"I once dedicated a hundred years to studying this, to try and unravel the mystery behind it. I never truly succeeded" **_he narrated, tilting his head sideways in thought, even as the ground grew more and more unstable as the "ocean" beneath them writhed like a beast in pain, creating surpassingly large waves. Naruto's clone climbed the wall carrying Temari, while the real Naruto was forced to dodge incoming waves, while avoiding whirlpools that sprang up in the water.

_**"But I suppose for a ninja like you, the ocean isn't that interesting, let alone scary" **_he continued, and Naruto noticed he looked…. older. But he went on anyway _**"so what is a ninja who would brave Hell itself afraid of?" **_he asked, pointing the open end of his bottle at Naruto; which even now was still pouring water into the room. Realizing what he was going to do, Naruto dashed across the surface toward him, but he wasn't fast enough. _**"Do you fear the gnashing teeth of hungry wolves?" **_he asked, as a half dozen bear sized wolves leaped from the bottle, before it continued to pour ocean water.

Somehow, the wolves could also walk on water, which frankly confused and annoyed Naruto. As the wolves leaped at him, he raised and fired his Prayer Beads one at a time, making sure to make each shot count. Three of the wolves were brought down by shots to the head, and two more by shots that pierced their throats. They fell dead, dissolving into an odd sake scented mist as they did. The last avoided his bead, but Naruto stepped under the creatures lunge and sliced off the head with a swing of his sword.

Warugi glared hatefully at the boy as he slaughtered his apparitions with ease, never saying a word, only keeping his eyes on his true pray, him. What would it take to finish the boy? _**"Why so silent boy?" **_he cried out, backing away as the boy killed the last wolf. _**"Why do you not speak? Do you think this is the best I can do with the power at my disposal?" **_he cried, waving his gourd about like a baton, as Naruto threw his Kama blade at him. _**"Tell me what you truly fear boy! Tell me, and I will allow you to face it!" **_he screamed trying to get a rise out of the boy, only to receive more stony silence. Growling, he coughed as he felt his magic fading as his body began to fail. Gripping the gourd with both hands to keep it steady, he ignored the Kama blade at buried itself in his shoulder, speaking to the gourd to call upon it's power _**"I fear snakes, sharks, knives-" **_he stopped, breaking into a bloody cough _**"and great maelstroms." **_he ended with a whisper.

Naruto felt his frustration grow, because as he went to channel unholy chakra to roast the Tengu, a nest of snakes and a school of sharks came at him. If that wasn't bad enough, their bodies obscured a barrage of knives that would have made Tenten proud until it was almost too late. And to top it all off, storm clouds had floated up into the sky, and the miniature ocean was feeling the full force of a magically powered maelstrom.

The demon steadied himself against the wall, his shoulders drooped. His hair had trued white as snow, and his eyes were becoming more milky and unseeing with ever passing second. The Gourd's apparitions ran on the magic of the user, and when the user ran out of magic it used their chakra instead. But Warugi had nearly exhausted his magically energy battling this servant of Kami, and he himself possessed no chakra to speak of. That meant the Gourd was now powered by the only thing he did have, for a little longer anyway, his life-force. As long as he lived, so would the creations of the Gourd. When he died, they would vanish. He just hoped it didn't come to that.

Naruto used the medallion and blasted the water under him, sending him soaring into the air. It also killed the sharks under him, and sent him over the knives, as well as giving him a wonderful shot at the snakes that slithered on the water.

Landing, Naruto saw that most of the snakes had managed to avoid his attack, and were now making their toward him from all sides. Needing a way to strike them all at once, Naruto put away his medallion, and instead called up his tempest magic. But Naruto, being Naruto, forgot one very important fact. When lightning strikes water, and there are things in the water, bad things happen to them. Especially if the lightning is magical in nature.

So, as the tempest magic surrounded Naruto, protecting him from the oncoming snakes, the lightning also struck the water. Immediately the everything near Naruto is killed as they are electrocuted to death. Naruto himself receives a nasty shock, and is only saved by the healing powers of the amulet in his pocket. Meanwhile, the electricity continues onward to the outer edges of the room, killing a stray shark and blowing it out of the water.

As it reaches the edge of the room, Lord Warugi found he had nowhere to run to. This realization came about the same time as the electricity made hims dance like a man on the end of a rope. His body spasmed, and in his pain, he let go of the Gourd, sending it flying across the room.

With the Gourd no longer in his possession, feeding off his power, everything created by it was left unstable as they began to fade. And when the unstable magical water met the highly concentrated magical lightning, things got very…. explosive.

Naruto was blasted into the ceiling, where he was sure he broke a rib. Using his Kama blade, he was able to latch onto the wall near his clone, who was looking at something in Temari's lap.

What Naruto didn't know was that not a second ago, the clone had nearly been dispelled by a smack to the head. Whatever it was fell into Temari's lap. Looking at it, the clone's eyes widened as he saw that it was the Gourd! Any further thoughts though were put off, as he looked down when the room shook with a great moan.

Now, while Warugi had designed the room to take a great deal of damage, he had never built it with a near war in mind. And while the walls of the building were at least somewhat able to handle the stress of constant explosions and whatnots, the floor it seemed, was not. With a great thundering crash, the floor gave way, falling deep into the abyss below. It was followed shortly after by the water, which quickly formed itself into a whirlpool, dragging down anything it could. And while it was true that most of the water had been vaporized in the explosion, and even more was fading out of existence without the magic of the Gourd, there was still enough to drag the now decrepit Warugi down with it. Naruto watched, nonplussed, as the ancient magical Lord was banged repeatedly against the walls and debris. Then, before he even knew what hit him, he was pulled under, and dragged to the void below.

Naruto sighed, this had really taken a lot out of him. Looking up, he spotted a portion of the ceiling that had been blasted away by the explosion. Together with his clone, he and Temari made their way out of the room.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto surveyed the area around him, relieved that he seemed to have made it back onto whatever counted as a road here in Hell. That said, he figured now would be a good time to check on Temari before sending her onward. As the clone set her down, Naruto was stopped from examining her injuries by his clone, who handed him Warugi's Gourd. Naruto blinked, he figured the odd little Gourd would have been lost when Warugi fell, but apparently not.

At that moment, however, Temari began to stir. Seeing this, Naruto hooked the Gourd onto his belt next to his other equipment, and tried to wake Temari.

Temari opened her eyes, gazing up into Naruto's clear blue ones. _"Naruto?" _she asked hesitantly, reaching out and poking Naruto in the forehead, as though assuring herself that he was there. Once she was sure he was, her eyes watered and she sat up, latching onto him. She squeezed Naruto tight, as she sobbed into his shoulder.

Naruto was startled. He had never seen the normally brash and confidant Temari behave so…. not like her. He calmed himself; he had no idea what she had been through, so he wouldn't judge.

That said, Temari wiped her eyes and looked at Naruto, who just sat patiently and waited for her to talk to him if she wanted too. Giving a small smile, she thanked him for saving her, which he waved off, stating he would have done the same for anyone, and she would have done the same for him. Now, seeming more like her old self, Temari gave him a brief rundown of her time in Hell.

Having landed in the fifth circle, Temari had found herself on the run from the flocks of Fallen that had hounded her sense her arrival. She had tried to cross the river, but found the spirits within strangely interested in her. She noted that they actually left the river for a few moments to chase her, something she was sure was out of character.

So, forced to flee through the marshes, she fell down a batch of quicksand, and like Naruto, came upon Warugi. He had presented himself as witty and charming, and did his best to convince her of his innocence. That he was a poor soul condemned to Hell for his interest in magic. He had seemed to listen with rapt attention to her story, and the description of the souls she was looking for. When she was finished, she had tried to leave in search of the others, but that was when things got bad. He had taken advantage of his great size to subdue her, beating her down until she couldn't move. As far as she knew, he hadn't done anything sexual to her, because he was distracted by Naruto before he could do anything. Naruto sighed in relief at that.

So all said and done, Naruto opened the portal of redemption for Temari of the Sand, who left him with one final warning.

_"Naruto" _she said, looking at the man who had saved her from a terrible fate _"I know it's pointless to tell you to avoid the rivers, but I want you to do something." _she continued, voice as serious as a heart attack _"Whatever you do, don't stare into the water." _she said, making Naruto blink.

"Why" he asked, quite confused.

Temari just shook her head _"I can't quite explain it, but when I looked into the water, I saw…. something. It was like looking at myself, only it wasn't really me. It was like a me I could have been. After I looked into it for a while, I got the feeling it was really looking back. I got the feeling that the other me was going to kill me. That was one of the reasons I made sure to avoid rivers." _she finished.

Naruto wasn't sure what that meant, but nodded all the same. Temari heaved a sigh of relief, before turning and walking into the portal. Looking over her shoulder, she tossed Naruto a grin that showed that, while not healed, she was well on her way to an emotional recovery.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It was right after saying farewell to Temari that Naruto found himself leaping from mounds of earth to cross a stretch of marshland. Stopping to take a breath, Naruto surveyed his territory, making sure to not look at the river. Seeing what felt to him like his destination, Naruto made his way over.

_**"Hey dobe" **_

Naruto stopped dead, his head snapping around so fast he thought his neck might break. There was no one there. He turned around and took a few steps forward.

_**"What's taking you so long loser?" **_

There it was again! Naruto drew his Ninjato, looking for the source of the voice. It wasn't so much what it was saying, rather, who was saying it. Only one person had continued to call Naruto a dobe, even after years had past sense he had stopped warranting the nickname. Sasuke Uchiha.

The voice, which seemed to combine Sasuke's voice with another, darker voice, laughed at him from beyond the shadows, everywhere and nowhere all at once.

_**"I thought you were supposed to save everyone, dobe. That you were gonna bring peace to the elemental nations? Look how that turned out…. Everyone is dead, and it's all your fault! All because of you!" **_the voice called out, making Naruto's blood boil.

"Sasuke! Show yourself! Where are you hiding you coward!" he roared at the darkness. The voice chuckled again.

_**"What, your not going to try and convince me one last time that I can go back to Konoha? That everything can be like it once was when we were apart of team 7? **_Sasuke asked mockingly. _**"I'm hurt Naruto. You're trying so hard, risking life and limb to save your friends. I thought we were friends Naruto…" **_the voice trailed off, it's voice dripping with sarcasm. Naruto bared his teeth, holding his Ninjato in the ready position.

Sasuke's voice sighed _**"Relax dobe, I'm not here to fight you. I was merely checking on your progress. You seemed to have slowed down considerably since the last circle. Maybe you don't care about your friends a much as I thought… hmmm. No matter. I would pick up the pace if I were you dobe, you really shouldn't keep us waiting…." **_the voice trailed off into nothingness, leaving Naruto with a mind full of questions. First and foremost: "us?"

Taking a hop forward, he passed under a tunnel, and turned a corner, running nearly smack dab into Kyubi.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto approached Kyubi, who was looking at the tower that rose in the distance. As he stood next to her, she turned her gaze down to look into the waters of the river, something Naruto made sure to avoid. _"Souls indignant! How many 'Up there' count themselves kings, that here shall lie like pigs in the mire, leaving their condemnations far behind." _she said, referring to the slothful souls in the mud.

Naruto decided to ignore that for now, instead looking back at the tower "What does that tower over there mean? Whom does it signal?" he asked, wondering if it was going to call on another giant demon he was going to have to face.

Kyubi just shrugged, not a care in the world _"Across the foul marsh, a raft ferries the damned. Look for the boatman."_ she said, in a manner that clearly said she wasn't going to talk about this 'boatman'.

Naruto decided that now would be a good time to ask Kyubi some questions regarding some of the demons he saw, the Gourd he got, and hearing Sasuke. These were all things he desperately wanted to know about.

Which of course meant that Kyubi disappeared almost as soon as she finished talking, giving him no time to ask her anything. Kami did he hate her.

_-Naruto In Hell-_**  
**

Naruto, after climbing another soul wall (and ignoring murmured curses to _"stop grabbing me scum" _and threats like _"I'll spoon out your kidneys and feed them to you"._) found himself on a short path, that ended in a large circular wooded area. In the middle was a pond of the river water. The whole area was closed off, with large trees surrounding the place, and everything was unnaturally dark. Well, not entirely. At the other end of the clearing, Naruto saw a section of the river that went underground in someplace. In the river was a large oak tree, with roots wrapped around it, obscuring most of it from view.

As Naruto walked into the clearing, he had to admit that when he was suddenly blocked from behind by a barrier, he wasn't surprised. From the darkness ahead, shadowy bodies emerged. They seemed to be made of flickering darkness, a black aura surrounding them. Like candles they flickered in the breeze, as they skittered toward him with amazing speed.

Naruto side stepped their charge, and made to slice them with his Ninjato, only for his blade to pass through them. Turning, he hurled his Kama blade at the other one, only to achieve the same effect. Deciding to change tactics, he opened fire with his amulet, which he noted the Shadows steadfastly avoided. Grinning at what seemed to be their weakness, Naruto charged up and let loose a scythe of energy. With no where to run, the Shadows were struck. Instead of vanishing however, their dark auras disappeared, leaving what looked like burnt husks standing in their place. And while they looked relatively harmless like that, Naruto wasn't going to take chances, so he destroyed them with his Kama blade. The two Shadows vaporized harmlessly, though Naruto noticed the forest seemed to have gotten quite all of a sudden.

Hearing a rumbling behind him, Naruto turned and saw that the roots were unwinding around the great tree. Now visible, Naruto saw that hidden beneath the roots, was a large throne, wrapped up in shadowy tendrils that were draped about everywhere. And that's when Naruto got another great shock; the roots weren't roots, they were bodies. Suddenly, Naruto heard a groaning, and a small pale light filled the forest, casting gruesome shadows everywhere. Squinting to adjust to the light, Naruto got sight of the faces of the creatures attached to the root like bodies. And more importantly, the face of the person lounging on the throne.

"Shikamaru?"

**"Troublesome" **

_-Naruto In Hell-_**Things Get Pretty... Troublesome  
**

Shikamaru had certainly changed form his time on the surface. He appeared before Naruto, as one solid shadow. From head to toe, his body was almost solid black, as though someone had ripped a piece of space from the sky, and shaped it into human form. The only color was in Shikamaru's eyes, which were a solid yellow, with no pupil, or whites, just a ominous yellow. Another, somewhat stranger splash of color, was on Shikamaru's chest. There, a medium sized Ankh symbol was embalmed on his chest, just over his heart. His legs seemed to merge together in a flowing mass of darkness. It pooled about the ground, and small tendrils drifted into the air.

But, as Naruto found out, Shikamaru wasn't alone either. Casting a glance over Shikamaru's shoulder, Naruto saw that what he first thought were roots, were in fact, living creatures, or more specifically, Nagas. The top half of their body was human, but halfway down, their bodies became those of snakes. It looked as though their legs had been fused together, leaving everything from the crotch up both human, and uncovered. Despite the circumstances, Naruto felt himself blush when he saw the top half of the creatures were unclothed women. The one on the left had black hair that flowed down her back until it reached her butt. She looked at him nonchalantly with her solid black eyes. Unlike Shikamaru though, she at least had whites. The one on the right was staring at Naruto much more fiercely, as though she believed she could set him a blaze if she concentrated really hard. Come to think of it, maybe she could. It wasn't like Naruto regularly went around combating Nagas, especially ones who may or may not have been empowered by the forces of Hell. Unlike her sister, her hair was a vibrant shade of red, which was a bit of a contrast to her crisp brown eyes.

Naruto frowned as looked at them, tilting his head sideways in a manner not unlike his once foxy occupant. He was sure he knew who those two were, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

_**"What the fuck are you staring at shit dick?" **_the red head snapped, noticing his look. Naruto blinked, he had only ever encountered one person in his life that swore like that. So this girl was Tayuya of the sound four. Naruto guessed that that made the other girl Kin Tsuchi from the chunin exams.

Shikamaru sighed, muttering something about troublesome redheads, looking back at her _**"easy their Tayuya," **_he commented, getting her attention. Their must have been something in his gaze that Naruto couldn't see, because Tayuya instantly quitted down; and if Naruto wasn't mistaken, there may have been a slight blush on her cheeks.

Deciding to try and get some info from Shikamaru, Naruto took a step foreword, asking "Shika, what happened to you?"

Shikamaru looked down at his flowing inky form, almost as though he was surprised by what he saw. Turning to look at Naruto, he shrugged _**"An unfortunate side effect of falling asleep in waters of the marsh." **_he said nonchalantly. He took a step toward Naruto, who unconsciously stepped back, something Shikamaru took note of. _**"You see Naruto, when I died, I found I was very dissatisfied with the way things worked out." **_the young shadow user monologued as he began pacing before Naruto. _**"I was unhappy with how the war turned out, I was unhappy about my death, and most especially about my afterlife." **_Shika continued, his voice light and non threatening. _**"I wondered, if there was nothing I could have done. If, somehow, it was me who had lead those close to me to ruin. It was then that I came across this lake" **_he said, jerking his head in the direction of the lake behind him.

_**"I stopped by its shores, and looked down at myself, reflecting on what had become of me. And then…. I'm not quite sure what happened next, but I do remember being submerged in the waters. Then, I rose from its depths, and found my mind was clear. Death had opened my mind, and somehow, the waters had filled it with clarity." **_Shikamaru continued, pacing back and forth quickly like a caged animal, his voice growing in volume.

Naruto was only partially listening however, as he swore he could feel the presence of evil. He recognized it as the feeling he got, when the aura of anger of the fifth circle tried to consume his mind. He felt it now, floating around Shikamaru like a fine mist. It was clear to Naruto that he wasn't consumed by it, but he knew for a fact that it had altered his brilliant friends thinking. He snapped back to the conversation as Shikamaru continued.

_**"The waters helped me realize that what happened in the mortal world, was not my fault; that I was not to blame." **_Shikamaru said, and Naruto's heart almost broke when he heard the happiness and relief in his friends voice. How could Shika have ever believed it was his fault to begin with? He was about to reach out to his friend, when his next words stopped him dead _**"No, I was not to blame for that fiasco. The ones to blame, were everyone else!" **_Shikamaru said, by the end shouting his words to the sky.

"Wh-What?" Naruto asked, not sure what to make of those words. That was the wrong thing to ask, however, as it only caused Shikamaru to descend into a series of angry ramblings.

_**"I mean exactly what I said! It was Madara's fault, because of his deranged ambition, and building the Akatsuki to accomplish it. It was the Akatsuki's fault, because if they hadn't started things up, the war wouldn't have happened. I blame the Kages too, because if they hadn't insisted on practicing their materialistic and war mongering ways, those in the Akatsuki would not not exist. I blame the shinobi of the Elemental Nations, for allowing this to happen. I blame my friends, for being too weak to protect themselves. And finally Naruto, I blame the jinchuriki. If they didn't exist, Akatsuki and Madara's goals would be impossible to accomplish." **_Naruto was frozen in place as he listened to Shika's hate filled speech. There wasn't much he could say to repute Shika.

_**"But the fact is you do exist. And that was what allowed Madara to do what he did. And it was because of that, the sheer fact that you exist, that allowed that fucking madman to destroy EVERYTHING I EVER LOVED!" **_Shikamaru roared, and Naruto had to throw himself to the ground to avoid being killed as razor sharp shadow tentacles thrashed overhead. Naruto noticed that he two sound Kunoichi were undisturbed by their masters ranting, their eyes following him back and forth as he moved.

Shikamaru finally stopped leaking power, and turned his back toward Naruto. Holding his head in his hands, Naruto thought he could hear the soft sounds of sobbing. But Shikamaru quickly shook it off. Straightening up, he looked back at Naruto over his shoulder _**"I'm afraid I won't be able to do this myself, I think a part of me would find it too troublesome." **_he said, taking a seat on his wooden throne.

Confused, Naruto asked "Do what? What are you talking about?" his question only shook his head, though if it was sadness or amusement was hard to tell.

_**"Kill you, of course. Seeing you alive just brings about too many bad memories and thoughts." **_he explained nonchalantly, annoying Naruto with his attitude. _**"But don't worry about it too much. Since we used to be friends, and it would be to troublesome to do myself, I'll let my girls here do it for us." **_he said waving his hand in the direction of the former sound ninja. Of course, Naruto also felt a slight pain in his chest at the phrase 'used to be friends' implying that Shikamaru no longer saw him as such.

But before Naruto could voice any objection, Tayuya decided she was tired of waiting, and launched herself at Naruto, fangs bared and glistening with poison.

Naruto leapt to the side, his Kama and chain wrapping around her throat as she past. As it tightened, he twisted on his axis and hurled the snake girl across the clearing, sending her almost into the river behind Shikamaru.

Seeing her sister in arms temporarily bested, Kin clenched her teeth and issued a low hiss. This wasn't just meant to intimidate the blonde ninja, but also so activate a powerful sound based attack.

Unfortunately for her, Naruto had already experienced the pain of a sonic blast once today, and he was in no hurry to repeat it. As the first traces of sound worked their way into his mind, Naruto braced himself while at the same time focusing on Kin's face. Unable to focus on any emotion in particular, he used his Mask (which he had called up the moment Tayuya leapt at him) to unleash at a blast of raw, yet jumbled emotions. And unlike the Tengu, Kin had no defenses for such an attack.

As the wave of feelings struck her, Kin was nearly knocked over by the myriad of feelings overtaking her thoughts. Her hiss ended as she squealed in agony; gripping her head as a massive migraine forced her to the ground.

Turning away from the downed girl, Naruto saw Tayuya getting back up, rubbing her throat from where the chain had nearly strangled her. Looking over and seeing her friend in so much pain, Tayuya's face became one of fury, and she charged Naruto, her fingers now clawed, with the intent to disembowel him.

_"Let her be angry then" _Naruto thought, once more calling on the power of the Mask. _"But let's see if we can channel that anger toward something productive" _and with that thought, he focused on mentally lassoing Tayuya's mind. She faltered for a moment, but did not halt her charge. Focusing on her anger, Naruto channeled his own fury into her, increasing the fire within her, but also giving him greater sway over her. Right as she was about to gore him, he focused all his anger, and by extension, Tayuya's, on Kin. Immediately Tayuya stopped, as though unsure where she was. Glancing around, her eyes skimmed over Naruto and landed on the only now recovering Kin. As soon as she saw her, her fury burst back into life, and she threw herself at Kin, screaming like a banshee the whole way. Forced to fight her friend, Kin had no time for Naruto, leaving him with a moment to breath.

Planning his next move, Naruto cast a glance away from the strange cat (or rather, snake) fight to check on Shikamaru. He hadn't moved, still looking as though he were napping on his throne. Naruto smirked inwardly. Good, he could sleep all he wanted, it would give him a chance to take care of these two. Forming a familiar hand seal, four shadow clones popped into existence. Nodding at them, they dashed foreword to complete the plan.

Surrounding the girls, the clones gripped the snake tails of the girls, and began to jump about, passing them from one clone to another, entwining them. Normally either girl would know what was going on immediately, but with Naruto keeping them both furious, they didn't. Soon, the girls found themselves in a difficult position, unable to move effectively due to their lower bodies being wrapped up in a wild assortment of knots. After that, a few powerful concussive blasts with the amulet knocked them out. The knots were just in case they accidentally woke up before his fight withe Shikamaru was over.

Turning to face the brilliant shadow wielder, Shikamaru just sighed, his fingers kneading his brow to stave off an oncoming headache. _**"How troublesome of you Naruto" **_he said, his voice deadpan. _**"Now that you've taken out my compatriots, what am I supposed to do now?" **_he asked, though Naruto had a hard time figuring out if he was serious, or just making fun of him.

Deciding to get on with the fight, Naruto spun his Kama blade until it became a blur. "Well" Naruto said taking aim "how about you… GET OVER HERE!" he roared as he sent the burning blade screeching toward Shikamaru.

Only for it to be blocked by a wall of shadows. It wrapped itself around the blade, keeping Naruto from pulling it back. Shikamaru smirked at him _**"You didn't think it would be that easy did you?" **_he asked, his tone mocking.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, and grinned a grin that promised pain. "For a minute their, yeah, I kinda did". He responded.

Sensing danger behind him, Naruto leapt to the side, looking back as he did. He saw to his shock a clawed shadow tentacle emerging from where his shadow had been moments ago. As it swung back to meet him, Naruto managed to deflect it, and stab it with his sword. A pulse of chakra later, the tentacle deflated, and flopped to the ground. But no sooner had it done so, then another popped up in his shadow again. And Naruto found it difficult to maneuver when one of his weapons was stuck.

As he ducked and weaved around the clawed thing, he turned and faced Shikamaru, his Golden Mask shimmering with power. Naruto focused his power, trying to pacify Shikamaru until Naruto could get close. He felt the power extend into the shadow man's mind, only to find… nothing. It was like there was nothing there! As such, there was nothing he could control! It was only through sheer luck that he killed the tentacle before it got him while he was distracted.

Deciding to try a slightly more desperate tactic, he pointed the end of his Ninjato at Shikamaru. Focusing on the part that was the Kusanagi, he aimed his sword, and watched in satisfaction as the blade shot forward like a rocket.

He was rewarded by seeing Shikamaru's eyes widen considerably as he ducked under the blade. Naruto saw what appeared to be several black tentacles connecting Shikamaru to the tree, and decided to do something about it. Channeling Kusanagi's poison through the blade, he watched as the tree grayed even more, and started to wilt where it stood. Shikamaru, realizing what was going on, quickly detached himself from the tree, throwing himself away from it. As he did, the shadow holding his Kama blade disappeared, allowing Naruto to pull it back.

Landing on his feet, he turned to glare at Naruto. Raising his hand, he splayed his fingers wide. A moment later, three tall, gaunt, robed figure rose from the shadows. Each held a large broadsword, and none looked friendly. Looking over his shoulder, Naruto was concerned that Shikamaru had disappeared. But before he could look for him, one of the shadows made a move toward him. It swung its broadsword in a wide arch, but far to slowly to hit him. Stabbing the cloaked figure's midsection, he sliced upward, setting its robe ablaze with a bit of unholy chakra. Swinging his Kama blade in a circle, he was able to do the same to the other two, leaving three infernos blazing.

When the flames died down after a few moments, Naruto was shocked at what he saw: regular shades, crying and weeping at their burns, looking about frantically as though they didn't know where they were.

_**"It's fascinating really" **_he heard behind him, and found Shikamaru standing atop another large tree, well out of reach. Somehow his voice carried down to him, and Naruto had no problem hearing him, even though he wasn't speaking about a normal conversational tone. _**"The shades in the river are so slothful, that they can do nothing to defend themselves from attackers." **_Shikamaru continued, gesturing at the quivering shades. _**"With my Shadow possession skills now more powerful then ever, it was child's play to control them. I merely used them as a core, wrapping my shadows around them, giving them shape and substance. The shadows live to serve my will, and they feast off the meager soul energy they can leech from the shades." **_Shika continued, seemingly unaware that Naruto was gaping at him as though he were some kind of mad man (which to be fare, he was at this point). Shika then grinned down at Naruto, his stark white teeth a glaring contrast to his midnight black skin _**"I can only imagine what kind of creature I'll be able to make out of you, Naruto-baka" **_he grinned, before waving his hand over the clearing.

Naruto grunted as something stuck him in the back. Looking behind him, he saw a small tentacle latch onto his armor. He moved to swipe it off, when two large bladed tentacles shot from the ground just to his left. No sooner had he knocked them away, then another small tentacle latched onto him. At one point he did slice at them, only for them to instantly reattach themselves. He never got the chance to take out his amulet, because it seemed like overtime their was a lull in the combat, he was beset with greater vigor. Added to that, Shikamaru was up in the tree taking pot shots at him. He'd form a lance or trident from the darkness, then hurl it at Naruto like a spear. Thankfully it seemed death hadn't improved Shikamaru's aim, and Naruto had been able to avoid most with a simple lean. Some of them weren't even near him for Kami's sake!

But he was starting to figure it out, the pattern of Shikamaru's attack. For a supposedly master strategist, he hadn't picked a creative attack method. The tentacles always came at him from one of five place around him. He'd love to go kick Shika's ass, but he hadn't been able to move from the one spot he was in. It looked like this was going to be a battle of endurance. How long could Shika keep summoning these tentacles? The dead ones were really starting to pile up, forming large mounds of shadowy flesh. At least the small tentacles at stopped attacking him. After the first five, it seemed like they realized they couldn't break his armor, and had settled for tethering him in place.

Suddenly, the attacks stopped. Naruto looked up to see Shikamaru grinning down at him, and was instantly on guard. Shikamaru leaped down with all the grace of the deer his family had guarded. Taking a step toward Naruto, he clasped his hands together in an unfamiliar hand seal, and smirked. _**"Checkmate, Naruto-baka." **_

Suddenly, the five mounds of flesh lit up the darkness. All around Naruto, the lances Shikamaru had thrown also began to light up. Naruto's eyes widened as he realized that rather then being random or poor shots, they had been thrown to make a large shape around him. Craning his neck to see, Naruto could guess that the shape around him was supposed to be some kind of star….

_"no" _he thought in horror, as the truth dawned on him _"not a star… a pentagram!" _

It was true. Shikamaru had used his shadows to create a giant pentagram around Naruto. Around the pentagram was a circle, which Shikamaru had used shadows to carve out hundreds of minute symbols. The five tentacle were not only for keeping Naruto in place, but they lined up with the five points of the star.

_Something deep inside Naruto thrashed in agony. It did not want to be bound like this! It would not be treated this way! If it was not freed soon….._

Naruto tried to move, but found himself frozen in place, unable to move a muscle beside his head. He felt a burning sensation at his hip, and saw that his amulet was glowing an angry red. Looking foreword, he saw Shikamaru walking calmly toward him, seemingly unaffected by the power of the damned symbol he had drawn.

_**"You won't be able to escape you know" **_he told Naruto, taking another slow, even step. _**"This was designed to ensnare low ranking demons and angels. A mere soul, pure as it is, like yours, will not be able to break it" **_he explained, now close enough that Naruto could see his yellow eyes, the sickly light thrown off by the runes reflected in them.

"How do you even know how to make this?" Naruto asked, continuing to struggle despite what his captor had said.

Shikamaru chuckled _**"I merely had to open my mind to the opportunities around me" **_he said cryptically. _**"Beside, it wasn't like there was much else to do in the river except read and sleep" **_

"Read?" Naruto asked, not sure he had heard his once friend properly. Shikamaru's grin told him he shouldn't have asked.

_**"Yes, read. I discovered a way to…. extract the knowledge from a person, and make it my own. This particular spell came from a particularly nasty old hag, who used it as part of a cult that hunted angels. I don't regret tearing open her skull to learn it. I wasn't sure why I needed to seek such information out, but something drove me to find it." **_he explained to a stunned Naruto _**"The more I think about it, the odds are good that I've been manipulated in order to either stall or kill you…. most likely kill." **_he finished with a shrug.

Stepping right up to Naruto, he took the Ninjato from his hands, and tossed it to the side. _**"A Ninjato with a chained Kama blade… never took you for the Kenjutsu type" **_he narrated, reaching for Naruto's Mask, which promptly disappeared before his fingers touched it. _**"A Mask, which I guess is what you used on my girls. It seems to be able to tell my intentions… no matter, I'll get it later" **_he shrugged, moving on to Naruto's amulet. Nauruto tried to stop, but he wasn't strong enough. The bonds on him creaked and shuddered, and deep inside he could feel something roaring for release.

Shikamaru plucked the amulet from his belt, and held it up to examine it. _**"An amulet, capable of channeling the powers of Kami herself…" **_he said in awe, holding it up to eye level to examine it more closely. Suddenly, it burst into light. It didn't produce a concussive blast, or purify him, it couldn't without Naruto; but it did burn his hand, and cause Shikamaru to jump back in alarm as the light touched his skin. It fell to the ground with a dull thud, and Shikamaru waved a hand, causing shadows to cover it up and douse the light. It only sort of worked, as the light burned through the darkness, further aggravating Shikamaru.

Naruto internally perked up at his once calm friends suddenly aggressive attitude. Looking around, Shikamaru seemed to have gone through a lot of trouble to make his lair as dark as possible…. that gave Naruto and idea. He could also feel that strange energy building up inside of him. It was flooding his muscles, making him stronger. Much stronger.

After throwing a down a heavy layer of shadows over the cursed amulet (whose light was still shining relatively undaunted) he made his way back to Naruto. The only item left was what appeared to be an old sake gourd. Odd.

_**"And what do we have here?" **_he asked looking at Naruto. Popping the cork, he turned it over, but nothing came out. _**"A sake gourd? I'm sure there is more to it then this. Do you use it to seal your enemies in, like the pot we used on the Gold and Silver brothers?" **_he asked trying to meet Naruto's eyes. They kept flicking over toward the river. Shikamaru's nonexistent eyebrows rose at that _**"Something to help you cross the river?" **_he said, examining the gourd even more closely now.

Naruto could feel it, the subtly energy he was exuding was somehow eating away at his chains. He looked at Shikamaru, who was trying to peer inside the gourd.

At that moment, the amulet's rays burst threw the shadow cover, allowing its full light to shine through. Shikamaru jumped, startled at the sudden brightness.

"What's the matter Shikamaru?" he heard, a long with an ominous snapping sound. He turned to face his prisoner, just in time for said blonde to break free from his chains. He stepped in close to Shikamaru, grabbing hold of him with one hand and not letting go. With the other, he snatched the gourd. Closing his eyes, he imagined the brightness and heat of the sun, as well as the aura of Kami, the brightest thing he'd ever seen. Focusing on all of these, he opened his eyes to stare into Shikamaru's. Then he spoke four simple words.

"Afraid of the light?"

The sun had fallen into the fifth circle.

At least, that was the only explanation the demons on the other rim of the circle, including the fourth and sixth circle could think of to explain the massive surge of light coming from the center of the fifth circle. It was that, or for a brief moment, Kami herself had graced the circle with her divine presence. That option was dismissed, due to lack of divine aura. Some divine aura was there, but not enough to be associated with Kami.

Regardless, the light had a major effect on everything around it. Dozens of flocks of Fallen fell from the sky, blinded and in agony. Most of them perished when they crashed into the unforgiving ground or worse, the river. Speaking of the river; for the briefest moment, the waters of the river turned clear. All the souls in the immediate area gave a sigh of relief, as their bodies were given a moment of reprieve. One or two of them actually moved on to Purgatory from that alone, which most would consider impossible.

But some of the most impressive, and most brutal, stuff was what was going on in the center of the column of light.

Naruto was actually surprised he hadn't gone blind from that blast. Looking around, he was happy that his plan seemed to have bore fruit. The shadows which made up the pentagram had vanished the moment the light had appeared. However, he had to admit that keeping this much light up was really tiring. But that was nothing compared to what Shikamaru was experiencing. His entire body was riddled with cracks. His yellow eyes were were now bulbous and pockmarked from where the liquid in eyeballs had turned to steam and escaped through his pupils. But for all the damage, it was clear he wasn't going down just yet.

Naruto cast a glance back at the gourd. It seemed to be having no problems producing the light, and looked like it could continue to do so for quite a while. But Naruto was starting to get really tired, and a pain was rapidly growing in his chest. Deciding to end it, he raised the bottle high, and with one quick movement, slammed it opening down into the fiendish Nara's chest.

The light seemed to know what he wanted, and flooded Shikamaru's body. Shikamaru whipped back his head in unbridled agony, his arms throne wide. Light shot from his eyes and fingers, and his voice burbled like it was coming from under water. Then, in a spectacular display of lights, he exploded, taking the light with him. The gourd fell to the ground with a hollow clunk, and all fell silent.

Naruto blinked, that was unexpected. He hadn't actually killed Shikamaru had he? Bending down to pick up his amulet and gourd, he noticed something. A black, inky, sticky substance coated the ground. At first, Naruto blanched, thinking that this was the liquified remains of his friend. But then something happened. It moved. It gathered in a clump, and then, ever so slowly, it dragged its way away from Naruto. It was trying to get back to the river!

Quickly following the slime to the river bank behind the great tree-throne, Naruto cast a quick look behind the tree. There, Kin and Tayuya at huddled next to one another. When they saw him looking at them, they quickly scooted back. They had dragged themselves here when the battle between Naruto and their master got into full swing. They had felt the blast of light as it happened, but were saved from behind roasted by the ancient tree. Even then, both of them had gotten light sunburns that stun slightly. All in all, they were happy to be alive, and they weren't going to jeopardize that by challenging someone clearly beyond their level.

Shrugging at the two's behavior, Naruto stepped up to the bank. Looking down, Naruto was concerned how he was supposed to see anything in that pitch black water. Feeling a buzz in the back of his mind, he raised his amulet, and pointed it at the water. A beam of light, similar to a flashlight, shone down into the water. Surprisingly, the water cut through the darkness with ease, cutting all the way down to the bottom. Naruto moved the light back and forth, watching as dark shades flitted away like fish from his light. Finally, he found what he was looking for. There, asleep and partially buried in mud, lay the real Shikamaru. Unlike the others Naruto had encountered, he looked perfectly normal, which had Naruto wondering who that other Shikamaru was.

Knowing there was really only one thing to do, Naruto affixed his amulet onto his chest with chakra, then, after taking a deep breath, dove into the water.

Swimming through the water was sort of like swimming through jell-o. It wasn't exactly hard, but it sure as hell wasn't easy. All around him he could feel the encroaching darkness of the river's power. Just outside his light, shadowy figures waited to strike.

The river was vast, and it took what felt like an eternity to reach the bottom. Luckily he was a ninja, with the type of training that allowed him to hold his breath for ridiculous amounts of time. Reaching the river bed, Naruto grabbed his sleeping comrade under the armpits, and began to pull him from the muck. It was rather difficult, for it seemed as though the ground beneath them wasn't so much mud as it was a tar like substance. Success was slow, but it came none the less. Inch by inch, until finally, Shikamaru floated unconscious beside him.

Grabbing him, he began to arduous task of swimming back up to the surface. It was slow going, Shikamaru seemed to weigh a ton, and actually seemed to be getting heavier by the second. Annoyed, Naruto cast a look down, and his eyes snapped wide open. There, connected to the spot where Shikamaru had been, was Shikamaru. Except it wasn't really Shikamaru, but the evil Shadow-Shikamaru. It had come to the river to recover, and now it was determined to drag its likeness back into the dark depths.

Naruto grunted, and lashed out with a kick that struck the Shadow-maru's head. It roared, an odd sound underwater, and switched its target to Naruto. Shikamaru continued to float in place, while Naruto was being viciously dragged back downward. It wrapped its inky body around his chest and squeezed, forcing the air from his lungs. Naruto felt tunnel vision begin to set in as the creature pulled him deeper and deeper.

Suddenly, he felt a pulse and heard the creature roar again. Then, he felt arms grab the back of his armor, and begin pulling him upward. Shaking the fog from his head, he saw the creature with it's arms and legs cut off, though they were regrowing even as he looked at it. Looking at what was pulling him, he was startled and relieved to see Shikamaru, a determined look on his face. In his other hand he was holding Naruto's Ninjato. It seemed that having regained consciousness, Shikamaru had seen his friends distress and come to his rescue. Inwardly Naruto sighed in embarrassment, he was the one who was supposed to be doing the saving here.

On and on they swam, the shadow never far behind. At last, they reached the surface, breaking from the water and taking great gulps air. Quickly, before they could be caught, Naruto leapt from the water with Shikamaru in toe onto dry land. Rolling over, Naruto saw they Shadow jump after them. It had murder in its eyes, and its finger razor sharp claws. At the apex of its jump, Naruto snapped the amulet from his chest, and fired a powerful blast from it. Unable to dodge in midair, the shadow took it full in the chest. Its body, so recently healed, couldn't handle the stress of another attack of that caliber. It disintegrated into thousands of shadowy particles, each one falling back into the lake. Whether or not it would ever be able to pull itself back together, is a mystery for another time…

Naruto stood up and brushed himself off, glad that his trip underwater was over. Turning, he went to address Shikamaru, only to find him not there. Whipping his head back and forth, he was startled to see his friend walking back toward the river bank!

"Shikamaru, what the hell do you think your doing?" he cried, stopping his friend. He spun him around, and was startled at the defeated look in his friends eyes.

_**"What does it look like, I'm going back baka" **_he said, his voice filled with sadness. _**"I must serve my penance, for the sins I committed. The only reason I left at all was because I had to save you. You don't deserve this. You were the best of us Naruto." **_Shikamaru continued.

"Shikamaru what are you talking about? You never did anything to warrant this!" Naruto screamed, waving his hands around at the dreary landscape.

Shikamaru just shook his head. _**"I failed everyone. My teammates, my friends, my family, my country, EVERYONE!" **_Shikamaru explained, his voice low at first but building to a bellow. _**"If I had just been smarter… I could have foreseen what might have happened, and planned accordingly. But I was too lazy, and never really applied myself when I should have. And everyone suffered for it." **_Shikamaru said, breaking into fresh sobs.

Naruto placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, getting him to look at him. "You applied yourself when it really mattered Shikamaru. None of us ever though differently." he said, trying to make his friend see reason. Thinking of something, Naruto grinned "And you know what…" he asked, "I ran into Temari earlier" he said, making Shikamaru straighten up slightly. Not only him, but the two snake girls hiding behind a tree. Mostly the red head, who developed a large tick mark on her forehead thinking about the blonde pig-tailed girl who had sent her here in the first place.

Naruto continued "and before her, Choji and Ino" he said, recalling his encounters with some of the most important people to Shikamaru. "And do you know what they had to say?" he asked his sad friend. Shikamaru just shook his head, unable to fathom what his friends and loved ones had said to the blonde. "Not one of them had an unkind word to say about you. Not one of them, or anyone else I've encountered has had a bad word to say against you." Naruto said with his trademark foxy grin.

Shikamaru fell to the ground, somewhat stunned. They didn't blame him. No one blamed him. His friends didn't hate him. All this time he had been sure it was his fault.

"_**Why did I think it was my fault?" **_he wondered aloud, trying to piece together exactly what had lead him here in the first place. His head snapped up, looking at Naruto with wild eyes, making his unsure friend step back _**"I remembered now! It was this place! I had thought about looking for our friends, but somehow it didn't feel like it was worth the effort. I hadn't wanted to find them. I became… sloth like, even more so then before." **_he told Naruto as he began to step toward him. _**"But I knew something was wrong, and I had tried to fight against this heavy slothful feeling that permeated me. And when I found I couldn't I began to doubt. I started to think of reasons why I shouldn't try to find anyone. That was when the horrible thought snuck in. I started to wondered if any of them blamed me for this fate. I had tried to ignore it, but it kept coming back. The voices in my head turned my intellect against me. I bent facts and logic to suit the terrifying idea, until I became utterly convinced that it was true. Finally, the thoughts became unbearable. I hated myself, and wanted to make amends, but my body and mind had become to lazy to do anything but lay in one spot and think about how much I was hated. I had to snap myself out of this funk. I thought, that if I could make it to the river, I could throw myself in, and snap myself out of it. And even if I couldn't I figured that at the very least I'd drown, and in the troublesome thoughts once and for all" **_Shika continued, a far off look in his eye. _**"I managed to pull myself, because my legs were too troublesome to listen to me, to the edge of the river. I plunged myself in, and I sunk to the bottom quickly. But it wasn't like I had hoped at all! I felt myself falling asleep, but the troublesome thoughts weren't going away. What was worse, I lost all control of my body, and couldn't move out of the river at all. After that, I fell into a deep sleep, and I don't know what happened after that. I'm not even really sure what woke me up. I just felt this powerful pulse, and I somehow felt that, it was time. I'm amazed that my body worked at all, especially when I needed it most, and it had refused to up to that point. I guess I have you to thank for that." **_Shikamaru finished explaining his circumstances to a stunned Naruto.

Naruto had no idea how much his friend had suffered. He clenched his fist. This was just another reminder of why he needed to hurry through Hell as fast as possible. He still had friends to save; friends that were no doubt suffering as badly as, or possibly worse than, Shikamaru. Taking his Ninjato back from Shikamaru, Naruto used the amulet to open up the Portal. He grinned as Shikamaru stared in wonder at the beautiful light, having been enshrouded in darkness for so long.

"Their waiting for you Shikamaru" he said, drawing the other boys attention away from the magnificent light. "Temari, Ino and the others. They'll all be their to greet you. And I'll finish finding the rest of our friends that are still here." he explained, getting a dull shocked nod from Shikamaru. This was it. This was really it. He was free. From the darkness of the river, as well as the darkness that had plague his mind. He was finally free….

_**"Wait!" **_two voices cried, followed by a rushed slithering. Shikamaru and Naruto turned around to see Kin and Tayuya awkwardly run toward them. Due to their tails still being tied together, they ended up crashing right in front of them. Kin clasped her hands together and gave her best puppy dog look _**"Master Shikamaru, you can't leave us here alone!" **_she cried.

Tayuya nodded vigorously _**"She's right, if your going somewhere, we're going too!" **_she exclaimed, before leveling a glare at Naruto _**"Got any problems with that shit-dick?" **_she asked with venom in her voice.

Naruto scratched his head, not quite sure what to do here. These girls looked like they really wanted to leave (not that he could blame them), but he wasn't sure he could just give them a free pass. Especially not Tayuya.

"Umm… you kind of have to redeem yourselves first" he said, sweating profusely at the sound girls glare.

Kin just nodded her head _**"Yes, yes, whatever it takes to be with Shikamaru-sama"**_ she said getting a raised eyebrow from Naruto. What in Kami's name caused this. He looked at Shikamaru who shrugged.

_**"It was my shadow. It was the darkest part of me, but still technically me. It was the one who attracted these two troublesome women." **_he explained get pouts from Kin and a glare from Tayuya. _**"Looks like their attraction just carried over to the genuine article." **_

"Okay I get that, but how exactly did it happen" Naruto asked. He was sure it was a good story based on the blush on Shikamaru's face.

_**"It's… a long story. I'll tell you later. After you get back." **_he said, smirking as Naruto's face fell.

"Fine" he sighed, getting back to business. Turning to address the two kunoichi he spoke "Alright listen, Shikamaru's getting a redemption right away, since he never should have been here in the first place." he said, receiving a nod from the two girls. "You two on the other hand, have to earn it, what with you both being kind of… evil… and whatnot" he continued, ignoring the glare he got from the girls. "So" he said, putting himself into his thinking position "I'll send you to Kami to ask her about your redemption plans." he stated, getting a wide eyed look from the two. "She seems like an understanding lady, I'm sure if you explain yourself, she won't be too hard on you. Just tell her I sent you. She'll probably send you to Purgatory to work off your sins, then let you go be with Shikamaru" he said earning an annoyed look from Shikamaru. "Maybe Shikamaru will come and keep you company sometimes" he said, wiggling his eyebrows at them, making the girls blush, and Shikamaru put his head in his hands, muttering about 'Troublesome blondes.' "But don't take too long now" he warned the girls "From what I understand, he's already got two girls after him. If you wait around too long, one of them might snag him" he said, laughing at their expressions.

Both of the girls got really determined looks on their faces. No one was going to steal their man! Facing Naruto they shouted _**"Send us now asshole!" **_(the last part added by Tayuya of course). Naruto just laughed and flashed his amulet, sending the two on their way. Their snake skin shed off, leaving too perfectly normal legs in their place. They waved one last time at Shikamaru, and bowed once to Naruto, before vanishing.

_**"Have I ever told you how much I hated you Naruto?" **_Shika asked deadpan.

Naruto just slapped his back "Ah, you know you love it."

Shikamaru just shook his head, turning and started to walk through the Portal. Turning to look at Naruto over his shoulder he said _**"Thanks again Naruto, and do try to hurry back. Be careful though, it would be troublesome if you weren't around." **_With that he stepped into the Portal, though not without leaving without one last thought _**"I wonder if I can watch the clouds, while laying on a cloud?" **_and with that thought he was gone.

Naruto grinned, that was one more off the list. Turning, he made his way out of the clearing.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

From there, Naruto's journey was rather simple. The most complicated thing he'd done after his fight with Shikamaru was rope walk across a deep pit of slime. He'd actually only encountered one demon so far, which frankly after all he'd been through was small potatoes. He'd hoped to avoid conflict by scaring the demon away with his Mask. Unfortunately, he'd overdone it and caused the creature to suffer a massive heart attack. Naruto sighed and scratched his cheek; he was really going to have to learn how to use this thing properly.

Turning another corner, Naruto found himself now on a stone road, as opposed to the mossy ground from earlier. Figuring he must be on the right track, Naruto followed the road as it twisted and turned. Naruto noted that the road was going steadily uphill the whole time. Turning one last time, Naruto found himself at the top of the hill, facing a large tower.

Actually, it was more like the back side of a tower, which was strangely hollowed out. Inside he saw a large platform, that looked like it could be raised. And right in front of it was a large, dangerous looking fire-pit. It looked to Naruto that if he turned the crank in front of him, it would cause the platform to raise.

While that seemed simple enough, Naruto had been through enough in the Inferno to not trust anything simple. If he had to guess, he imagined that the crank would raise the platform. But it would probably also set off the fire-pit, forcing him into a dangerous race for his life. No thank you.

Instead, he turned to the solid stone walls that made up the tower. Applying a bit of chakra, he found out that he could stick to these walls. From there it was a simple jump and a chakra run up the side of the tower.

Reaching the top, he found another lever. Deciding to continue to play it safe, he had a shadow clone pull it. As soon as it did, the wall of the tower shifted. Fire seemed to flood the center of the tower. Then, the large statues, which Naruto hadn't even noticed, came to life. The statues' backs straightened, and their eyes glowed a vibrant orange. They opened their mouths, and released a torrent of burning magma and flames. Naruto could practically hear the dramatic music in the air as the statues pointed their heads upwards, channeling their light upward. Naruto found he was forced to squint, as the light given off by this tower was so great. But even then, he thought he caught movement down in the waters below. Whatever it was, had stopped at the base of the tower.

Turning his head, Naruto saw he wasn't the only one watching the approaching object. Hopping down from the raised platform, Naruto made his way over to the spectral form of Kyubi.

Seeing him approach, Kyubi offered her signature smirk. Turning away from him, he saw her smirk fade a bit as she saw something in the distance. Naruto followed her gaze, but the only thing he could make out in the distance was a large wall. From so far away, it was hard to make any distinguishing features out.

Turning to face him the Kyubi spoke _"Now, my kit, the City of Dis draws near, housing its condemned citizens within. The eternal fire that blazes there makes the mosques show red, in this nether Hell." _

Naruto nodded, facing the city of the damned, knowing he would be there soon. Facing it, he thought of something "Hey, Kyubi, has any soul ever descended to this depth before? From the circles above I mean?"

Kyubi got a thoughtful look on her face, as though trying to think back through the eons that made up her life. _"Seldom" _she answered _"But once I was conjured down by a powerful and cruel witch known as Erictho. Shortly after my first death she sent me down to draw forth a soul" _ here Kyubi paused _"from the Circle of Judas" _she finished, her body shivering as though in…fear?

Now Naruto was intrigued. Someone had possessed the power to command the Kyubi? She must have been powerful. But the Kyubi had said after her first death. What did that mean? Perhaps the reason the witch could control her was because she hadn't been as powerful as she would be when she was defeated by the Fourth. But what perked his interest the most, was the reaction she had to just talking about the Circle of Judas. Speaking of which… "Which circle is that?" he asked, curious about a place that could bring fear into the supposedly mighty Kyubi.

Kyubi froze at his question, her face slowly turning to lock her eyes with his. Her hands clenched until her spectral knuckles turned white _"It is the lowest, blackest, and farthest from Heaven. Well do I know the way…. " _she answered, her voice becoming soft. And on that note, she vanished, leaving Naruto alone atop the signal tower.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Sliding down a bone spire he found, Naruto was pleasantly surprised to land right in front of the thing that had come to the tower. It was a large, rounded, platform. Around the edges, small spikes jutted from it, forming a painful looking circular ring.

Another thing he found was a shade. Approaching the angrily muttering shade, Naruto placed his hand on it, only to jerk back at the flood of images he received. _"my whole life as been wasted in anger" _the shade muttered, and Naruto figured that was the truth. This was the shade of Doto Kazahana, would be dictator of Snow country. Naruto was surprised he hadn't seen this guy in Greed, but that fact that he was indeed in Hell was some small contort. Doto had harbored a festering hate for his brother ever since the day he had learned he wouldn't ever become ruler. That hate had festered inside of him, day after day, and year after year. Seeing his brother as a weak and stupid man, who foolishly spent the country's money on what could be considered wasteful fantasies. Finally, Doto could take his hate no more, and had hired ninjas to assassinate his brother. With his brother gone, his anger had largely abated, and he had soon been taken over by greed. But it was that initial sin, the sin of Wrath, that had lead him to commit such atrocities in the first place.

Looking down on the man, Naruto knew there was no way he could redeem himself. The man was a monster who would do anything for power. With that thought Naruto raised his Ninjato, and looked the angry soul in the eyes. He wasn't sure Doto fully understood what was going to happen to him, but if he did, he didn't look like he was going to protest. Maybe he had actually excepted the consequence of his actions? Either way, Naruto quickly drove the Ninjato's blade through the evil mans' skull, and channelled the wrath of Kami through him. The man gave one horrible scream, before exploding in a cloud of ash.

Flicking the excess ash off his sword, Naruto stepped onto the platform, hoping that it would soon take him away from this circle.

_-Naruto In Hell-_**Whose Top Dog Around Here?  
**

Naruto found that, while incredibly creepy, the ride down the river on the platform wasn't all that bad. He'd been on it for a couple of minutes now, and so far nothing had tried to kill him. He'd seen a couple of fiends flying off in the distance, but they hadn't tried to attack him.

But the gut feeling Naruto had, the one he'd found awfully similar to the feeling one get after drinking spoiled milk, seemed to intensify by the passing second. Suddenly, on the edge of his hearing, he heard the howl of a wolf. Naruto frowned. That was one creature he hadn't encountered yet. Was it a new type of demon off hunting in the distance. He heard the howl again, but this time it was definitely closer. Naruto unsheathed his Ninjato in preparation for a possible assault. He heard it a third time, now sounding as though it was just on the other side of the bank. The odd thing was, it sounded as though it was only one wolf howling, instead of a pack.

Before he could think of why that was, the source of the noise shot forward in a gray blur. It leaped over the river and onto the platform with Naruto before he could blink. Naruto swung his sword at it, reacting on pure instinct. But the creature ducked under his swing and seemingly danced around him. Naruto spun on his heel to attack it, but found it was gone. His eyes widened as he felt it behind him a moment to late. Suddenly, the feeling of claws made itself known to him. As the beast raked its nails, across his back, Naruto was never more relieved to be wearing some form of amor. The monster did not however, and the next thing Naruto knew, he'd been swept off his feet, and slammed into the ground.

Naruto swung at it, but the thing caught his Ninjato bare handed, something none of the other demons had been able to do. As it unoccupied hand readied itself to spear his face, Naruto surprised it. The creature was not prepared for a sudden whirlwind to surround its pray. As it was forced to back up by the buffeting gale force winds, Naruto took the opportunity to fire several Prayer Beads at its unprotected stomach. He had filled them with enough power that, at this range, the Beads lifted the creature and hurled it across the river.

But that only seemed to make it madder. Barely slowed down, the beast landed on all fours, and leapt over the beads, clearing the river and landed before Naruto again. Instead of attacking though, the creature stood on its hind legs, making it tower over Naruto by a good head, and glared down at him. Naruto took this brief time to take in the creature's appearance.

On hind legs, it was head and shoulders taller then Naruto. It had grayish white fur that seemed somewhat familiar to Naruto. It's oddly human fingers sported a wicked set of razor sharp claw, as did its human looking toes. Its head was dog like, with a huge muzzle full of canine fangs instead of the usual two. Its' eyes were a golden yellow, with a slitted pupil which looked oddly feline in Naruto's opinion. It looked like the quintessential werewolf. The only thing human about it were the tattered remains of cloths. Gray pants covered its shame, though a large bushy dog tail had managed to sneak out of the back. On its torso were the remains of a gray jacket, with the remains of what might have once been a mesh shirt beneath it. It wasn't until the wolfman stepped forward that Naruto noted one final distinguishing feature about it. Two patches of fur on its cheeks. The patches took the appearance of red triangles. In fact, they reminded Naruto a lot of the triangles that had been on… oh… Oh!….. oh…. crap.

"Kiba?" naruto asked tentatively, wondering if the creature before him even understood him. And apparently it did, because the wolf, who was possibly Kiba, stopped. Tilting its head to the side, it examined him, before a feral grin spilt its jaw.

_**"Naruto, you old son of a bitch!" **_the now identified Kiba said with mirth, his voice booming deep in his hairy chest. _**"I should have known you'd find your way to my neck of the swamp." **_he said, spreading his arms to indicated the surrounding marsh land. _**"So tell me…" **_he stated, locking his gaze with Naruto _**"Did you come here to challenge me? For my position as Alpha?" **_he asked, a glimmer of something… not quite right behind his eyes.

"Um… what?" Naruto asked, not quite understanding what his friend was getting at. What the heck was an alpha anyway?

Apparently Kiba didn't take that response well, as his pupils became like slits and he bared his fangs at Naruto. _**"Don't play dumb with me Uzumaki! You want my position as Alpha! You want to lead the pack instead of me! You must've somehow known I would become Top Dog, and you're here to take that away from me. Just like you took it away from me all those years ago." **_he said, his voice becoming more guttural and more difficult to understand.

Naruto shook his head as Kiba took another step toward him, and he took one back. His foot bumped something, and Naruto realized he'd reached the end of the platform. "Kiba I really have no idea what your talking abo-"

_**"The Chunin exams!" **_Kiba roared _**"You made me look like a fool in front of everyone! Especially my team. Especially Hinata! I could never live down the shame of being beaten by someone as lowly as you, a mere mutt. And no matter how hard I tried to become stronger, you were always ahead of me somehow" **_Kiba continued, working himself up into a froth. Naruto felt distinctly uncomfortable with this conversation. He was finding it a little too similar to some he'd had with Sasuke in the past.

_**"You must've cheated somehow… that's the only way you could have gotten such power… the only way you could make her love you. Love you when she never so much as looked at ME!" **_he couldn't contain his rage anymore, his fists were clenched so tightly that his claws had pierced his skin and was now steadily dripping blood onto the platform. Kiba, no so full of hate, reared back his head and howled long and loud to the sky.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The noise echoed throughout the circle, bouncing off trees and the rare structure, until it seemed as though the entire circle had heard it.

But most of the demons who heard it disregarded it. After all, many demons howled. But there was one select group of demons who did not ignore it. In fact, they were likely the only ones who understood what the howl meant. And as one, the group turned and made their way to the source of the noise; the call of their leader, their Alpha.

The Pack was ready for a hunt.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto heard them long before he saw them. How could he not? They tendered across the plains like a stampeded, howling and barking like mad dogs. As the first one cleared the crest over the hill, Naruto caught his fist glimpse of a creature like Kiba, but somewhat smaller in stature. While some were as tall as him, none were as muscular as Kiba was. In fact, most look rather emaciated and mangy. What in Kami's name were these things? They weren't like any demon he'd seen before, and they certainly weren't your run of the mill shade.

As if in answer to his question, the amulet glowed once, as Kami provided the horrible truth behind the existence of these souls:

The Inuzukas were an old clan. Far older then anyone would expect. In fact they hadn't always been the Inzukas, and their familiar of choice hadn't always been dogs. True it was always a canine, but that just meant the creatures they bonded with varied from wolves to jackals, and every dog in-between.

Another thing, that perhaps not too many people knew about, was that animals had souls as well. This meant that, like people, animals were just as capable of being bad as humans were. The standards were a little different, given the nature of their species, but it was the soul was there all the same.

Now, there were rare occasions, that only resulted from moments where a member of said group of animal tamers became evil and corrupt. But not just that, their animal familiar had to also possess a soul as black as their partners. When the spiritually condemned partners die, the bond they had forged in life, does not break. Instead, it grew stronger and tighter. And in the burning fire of the Inferno, the pair would find themselves melted and joined together as one. A creature as much beast as man, fueled by raw animal passion, and positively infernal cruelty.

It did not matter what circle the new abominations fell into. They would almost always seek out others like them. This, more often then not, lead them to the fifth circle. It was here, in the circle of anger, that their animal sides had the most power. The minds of these sick creatures had no resistance to the wonderful allure of freedom that anger falsely promised. Freedom they sought, and freedom they attained. But not the freedom they truly desired. That freedom they could never have. No, the 'freedom' of anger, was a freedom of all rational thought. A freedom from peace of mind. A freedom from happiness. The rational side was all but lost. Whatever was left of the being almost always disappeared, leaving only a raving, furious, drone behind. They weren't much better then a rabid wolf at that point. They found homes amongst the few others of their kind that they could find, and scrapped out a meager existence until they were finally killed; either by a pack mate or another demon. Oddly enough, Fallen considered hunting them good sport.

Naruto reeled as his mind filled with the information he had been given. Turning back to Kiba, he felt a twinge of pity for his friend. Fused with Akamaru, no wonder he'd given into anger. But wait, maybe he could fix this!

"Kiba wait stop!" he cried, hoping to get through to his friend before he was, literally, thrown to the wolves. "I know what this place has done to you. I know that you've been fused with Akamaru. But I can fix this, I can fix everything." He said excitedly holding up the glowing amulet. "With this, I can heal you, and separate you from Akamaru safely. Then things can go back to the way they were." he finished, noting that the Pack had stopped on the edge of the river, waiting for what their leader would do.

Kiba himself had stopped short, as though struck. Tilting his head to the side again, he squinted his golden eyes. Finally, he spoke:

_**"What the fuck are you talking about dobe?" **_he asked incredulously. _**"I didn't fuse with Akamaru, I know exactly where he is." **_he said stepping onto the center of the platform. Suddenly, Kiba's grin was back _**"In fact, because you're so concerned, why don't we get Akamaru up here." **_he said, placing his fingers to his lips. With a deep breath, a shrill whistle cut through the air.

And for a moment, all was silent. Not one creature made a sound. And then, the ground shook. Like a mighty earthquake, Naruto fell to his knees as the ground heaved and swayed. But then he realized something. None of the Pack were falling over, because the ground beneath them was perfectly stationary. It was the platform that was shaking! Naruto felt the pit of his stomach drop at what that might mean and he prayed it wasn't what he thought. But judging by the look on Kiba's face, it was.

And so, with a massive heave, the dog known as Akamaru heaved itself from the river, eager to head his master's call.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

While in Hell, Naruto had already faced down some pretty big demons. But they had nothing on Akamaru now. The once lovable dog was now twice the size of the Hokage monument. His body looked like the surface of a volcano, with strange cracks and pumps all over his rocky body. Heat radiated off the form in waves, with only the head maintaining a normal temperature. His face, though Naruto couldn't exactly see it, was perhaps the worst of all. His once joyful dog eyes, had become like twin red suns. His teeth were the size of red woods, and each was caked in much, the origin of which is best left unsaid. Every time he exhaled, a plume of fire followed, scorching the landscape before him.

Naruto was busy adjusting himself to this height, wondering how, or if, he'd be able to get down. Kiba just smirked, taking Naruto's reaction for one of fear _**"How do you like his growth spurt, dobe? With Akamaru on my side, there's no way I can lose. You will bow before me, or die!" **_he said, before finishing with a roar and lunging at Naruto.

Naruto wasn't fast enough to dodge, and tooth punch to the chest. The blow sent him flying off Akamaru's head, and onto his back. Akamaur's back was scorching hot, and Naruto seriously considered the possibility that it would melt his shoes. Unfortunately, heat wasn't the only thing our poor hero had to deal with. If he had hopped that the combination of incredible height and burning heat would be enough to keep the Pack at bay, he was sadly mistaken. The wrathful creatures were simply not intelligent enough to recognize pain. Even as the hotter portion of the dog's skin burned their flesh to the bone, they would not stop, even as some of their weaker number spontaneously combusted from the heat. They climbed the dog as one might a mountain, albeit with all the speed and grace of a ninja. Soon, they'd made it to the dog's back, and like the wolves their visages now resembled, they surrounded Naruto, ready for the take down.

But what the Pack didn't know, was that when the chips were down, it is nearly impossible to actually outnumber Naruto. With a burst of chakra, a horde of clones appeared, double the number of the Pack members. And with a battle cry, or howl in the case of the Pack, the fight began. The real Naruto had to leap out of the way, as Kiba leapt down from his partner's head to engage him. All the while, Akamaru continued forward, compelled by a force beyond his understanding.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

A Naruto clone drove his blade into a wolfman's heart, only for the creature to rear forward and bite out his throat. The creature, in turn was knocked forward off its feet as two Naruto ganged up and blasted it with their amulets. The creature howled in agony as the Holy light burned through its flesh. But it would not except defeat. It turned and charged the two, even as the light burned away muscle to expose the former human's lungs. It lashed out wildly, narrowly missing one of the Narutos. The other wasn't so lucky, and found itself dying when the wolf put its jagged fingernails right through his clone eyes. The clone screeched in agony, jerking it sword up and penetrating the monster's brain. The creature jerked and stiffened, even as the Naruto clone vanished in a puff of smoke. It swayed on its feet, as though the very core of the creature wanted to continue the battle. But reality set in, and the creature toppled off of Akamaru, disintegrating into ash before it hit the ground.

Similar battles were taking place all over Akamaru. The clones had they edge in numbers and weaponry, but the Pack were damn near impossible to kill. They had tried to use their Masks on the demons, but that only worked half the time. They didn't possess enough chakra in their clone bodies to sway the entire Pack at once. Even if they did, such an act would require great concentration on their part. Something rather difficult to achieve when you find something biting your legs off. Beads worked somewhat, breaking bones, and knocking some off the giant Akamaru's back, but the Pack were devilishly fast, actually able to avoid a surprising number of the Prayer Beads. Beside, it wasn't like broken limbs actually slowed the creatures down any. It mostly just served to piss them off. So yeah, the Pack were some of the most durable creatures in the Inferno. The only reason no one considered them a threat, was because they were too dumb to be one, and no one had been dumb enough to try and fight an entire pack of them before.

This mostly left the clones with the Ninjato and Kami's amulet. But as one clone found himself crawling away from and angry She-wolf, his Ninjato lost, he discovered another viable technique. He fumbled for his amulet, but the creature saw it coming and stomped his hand, breaking it and almost dispelling him. Picking him up by the collar, the creature looked into his eyes, her gaze telling that she was going to rip out his heart. The clone was frightened, his good hand fumbling for anything of use. The only thing it found, was a cloned copy of the Gourd. The clone seriously doubted it had enough chakra or magic to sustain anything the Gourd could make, but it was desperate. Thrusting the Gourd under the wolf's nose, he shouted the first thing that came to him.

"I fear being sealed!"

He didn't know why that was what he'd chosen. Surely a better choice would have been an element or creature of some kind. Even a hail of knives would be more useful… right?

The Wolf-woman stared down at her pitiful pray, ready to rend him to pieces, when he had trust something at her snout. Looking at it, her eyes going cross, she found herself momentarily confused. As her prey shouted in a language she hadn't been able to comprehend in years, she felt it would be better to just hurry up and kill him. Raising her other paw to rip his face off, she was stopped by the suddenly strong tugging at her face. Looking back at the Gourd, her slitted eyes widened as she felt her self being pulled toward the Gourd.

The clone watched in amazement as the wolf's body was stretched like taffy, drawing her into the Gourd. That amazement was replaced by pain as he felt his body sucked dry for power. He had been right, he didn't have enough power to utilize the Gourd fully. As his body dispelled, he only hopped that he'd at least taken this bitch with him.

As the clone disappeared, the pseudo-Gourd did as well. But using its power and fading from existence at the same time had an odd effect on the Gourd. Their was a backlash of Chakra and magic, which now no longer existed, let alone powered it. This backlash resulted in the Gourd exploding violently. The she-wolf's body that was already in the Gourd ceased to be, while the rest of her body cracked like glass and shattered. Stuck between being sealed and not, her body was destroyed.

The nearby clones saw what had happened, and knew what had to be done. In order to save their creator, they would sacrifice themselves. It wouldn't be the first time.

And with that in mind, one of the clones willingly dispelled himself, sending the plan of attack to the rest of the clones, and Naruto as well, though he was a bit busy to understand the message. This drastically turned the tide of battle, as the now suicide bomber clones needed only to pick a target and say the magic words. Soon, the last of the Pack had been destroyed. Wiping out, for a moment at least, one of the most infamous group in Hell itself. The few remaining clones, about sixteen of the original hundred or so, took a moment to breath, before launching themselves toward their creator.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The real Naruto deflected Kiba's clawed strike and stabbed the larger boy in the leg. Kiba howled in pain and tried to backhand him in the face. Naruto managed to duck, his Golden Mask glimmering in firelight. He had already tried to get a grip on Kiba's mind, but he had found Kiba's mind too clouded by unnatural rage. He may have had a chance if he could focus, but that wasn't something Kiba was going to allow him.

They had ended up back on Akamaru's head, and Naruto could see from the corner of his eye that they were approaching what appeared to be some ruins. This cost him, as Kiba planted his meaty fist into his stomach, causing him to double over in pain even as he felt the coppery taste of blood enter his mouth. He looked up and saw Kiba about to take anther swing at him, when a chain of fire wrapped around his arm, Kama blades digging into flesh, and diverted the attack. Two more Kama blades flew from behind Kiba and cut the back of ankles, sending him stumbling forward, even as more chains snaked around his legs.

Kiba turned and glared at his assailants, and felt his eyes widen. Surveying the back of Akamaru, he saw that their wasn't a trace of his Pack anywhere. He knew that they would never desert him, their Alpha, so that had to mean they were all dead. Once again the doe had taken everything from him. Suddenly, the harsh whispering in the back of his mind, the one that had been with him ever since he got to this place, rose in pitch. He felt the energy of the circle of Anger swell up and fill him, giving him even greater power, even as it wiped out most cognitive thought from his mind.

Grabbing the chain that held his arm, he gave it a tug, and was rewarded as a surprised looking Naruto flew toward him. He reared back his fist and struck the clone right in the Mask, shattering it into a hundred pieces, and crushing the clone's skull in. He turned to face the other clones, but stopped as what must have been a dozen battering rams crashed into his shoulder bones. Looking over his shoulder he saw some of the clones firing off beads as fast as they could. This distracted him long enough for more chains to be wrapped around his legs. Then, with a mighty pull, Kiba was pulled over like a falling tree. As he fell, he saw one clone pointing the tip of its Ninjato at him, only for it to shoot forward with the speed of a Kunai and pierce his stomach. It quickly retracted itself before Kiba hit the ground, but he was no less injured. His life blood spilt from his wound, which seemed to be having trouble healing with all the toxin the blade must have had on it. The blood pooled from the wound onto Akamaru's head, waking his lifetime from from the mindless march.

Akamaru felt his friend bleed, and it made him mad. No, furious. Feeling multiple presences on his head, one of them Kiba, Akamaru took action. Sticking Kiba to his head with some demonic energy, much like a leaf from the old chakra exercises that were taught at the academy, Akamaru shook his head vigorously. As he felt his friends assailants fly off into space, and one flying right ahead of him, Akamaru wished he could contort his face to match his sadistic pleasure.

Naruto didn't know what happened. At fist it looked like he'd won, but now he was flying forward toward the ruins. He hadn't had the time to stick himself to the dog's head with chakra, and from the fleeting memories he was getting from the clones, neither had they. Managing to right himself just in time, he slide across the stone ruin instead of crashing into it. Looking up, he felt small as Akamaru's giant face leered down at him. Opening his mouth wide, Akamaru released a roar that made the very stone tremble and shake.

Kiba awoke to the sound of a roar, and stood up to find himself alone on top of Akamaru's head. He looked down at his stomach. His wound hadn't gotten worse, but it hadn't gotten better either. He didn't know if he'd be able to fight off whatever poison was on that blade, so he knew he had to end this fast. Placing his feet on Akamaru's crown, he looked down at what looked like a nervous Naruto. Taking a deep breath, Kiba allowed his mind to merge with Akamaru's. The two of them became one, and when Akamaru opened his eyes, Kiba could see through them. Inside his mind, Kiba smirked, this was gonna be good.

Naruto tried to calm himself down, knowing that panicking would do him no good. It was a one on one showdown, just like he liked it. A sudden shriek from above drew his attention. Circling above the fight, coming ever lower, was a flock of Fallen. They had been draw here by the massive amounts of energy in the area, as well as the sight of all the Pack gathering there. They had watched apathetically as there preferred prey were exterminated. While they weren't mad, they did see this as an excellent opportunity to kill the one they felt wielding the hated Holy Magic.

Naruto didn't know any of that, all he did know that it was just one more thing for him to deal with. Great.

As the Fallen landed lightly around Naruto, he was immediately forced to deflect a spear to the face. Pushing it downward, he tossed his Ninjato into the air, so that he could use both hands to grab the spear. With it, he knocked the half closest to the Fallen up, hitting it in the chin with the blunt end. As the spear spun in the air, Naruto plucked it out of the air, and chucked it through the stunned Fallen's throat. The spear went through it and hit the Fallen behind its' wing. Naruto finished up by catching his Ninjato in his hand, spinning around, and staking the Fallen behind him through the chest. For a second, everything was still, as all those around Naruto tried to process what had just happened. Naruto was personally thinking to himself that that had been pretty badass, and how it was a shame none of his friends were around to see it to prove that it happened. He didn't count Kiba, what with him trying to kill him and all.

Speaking of Kiba, the dog boy decided that he didn't care about the Fallen, and that if they got in the way, they were just asking to die. Willing Akamaur to open his mouth, a mass of fire began to grow. When he couldn't hold the flames back anymore, Akamaru sent a ray of searing fire to roast Naruto alive.

Naruto only had a few seconds before he was toasted, and he knew there was no where to run. Suddenly he remembered his fight with Tsunade. Ignoring the pain that came with thinking about her, Naruto recalled the powerful defense he had conjured. Clasping Kami's amulet in front of him like a drowning man's life jacket, Naruto focused the power of Kami, not for the offensive, but for the defensive. A bubble of light started to surround him, composed of Holy Magic and willpower. The question was, would it hold?

The ray of fire decimated the area. The surrounding area started to fall apart under the vicious assault. The Fallen who couldn't fly away turned to vapor before the might of Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba grinned as he saw the fire about to hit the glowing bubble covering Naruto. It was a pitiful defense to be sure, and Naruto would pay for it.

As the flames struck the light, it wiggled and wavered under the assault. Naruto held the amulet tightly and focused all his mind power on keeping it up. Then, suddenly, the beam was cut in half. Splitting in two directions, the twin rays of fire continued to travel forward, but where they touched the bubble, the fire would not penetrate. Naruto grinned and looked up into Kiba's wide and shocked eyes. Eyes that quickly filled with anger as Naruto's muttered words filled the dead quite ruins:

_**"Divine Shield!" **_

Kiba lost it. How could this bastard be so strong! It wasn't fair! He reared back his head and voiced his frustrations to the sky, Akamaru following his lead.

Naruto shook his head as he saw Kiba raving curses like a mad man, and knew he needed to end this. Getting an idea, he took a step backwards, passing through the Divine Shield's semi-permeable membrane. It seemed that things could leave the shield, but not get in. Placing Kami's medallion on the shield, he applied some power, then moved the amulet. He was pleased to see the bubble move with it. Lifting it up, he was surprised to see that something so powerful weighed so little. Taking aim, he focused on filling the bubble with the power of Kami. Slowly but surely, the bubble filled with the pure light of the mighty god. It became so bright that it was actually difficult for the surviving Fallen and Kiba to see properly. When the bubble was filled to bursting, he shot it forward with a blast of holy energy, the bubble's structure keeping to from breaking right away.

Noticing the glowing white bubble heading his way, Kiba assumed that Naruto was using to float toward him. He was so filled with fury that he didn't even bother to check and see if that was the case, given that his sense of smell would have told him it wasn't. But it was too late for that. Kiba's mind was totally infected with Anger.

_**"NO! I won't lose to you again Uzumaki!" **_he roared, launching a fire ball the size of head on the Hokage monument. The ball hit the bubble, but spilt into five lesser streams of fire, which flew away harmlessly. But by now, the bubble was so far away from its power source, that its indestructibility had faded. That blast from the fireball had taken the last of it out. Now, just about anything could pop it, releasing the payload within.

Not knowing any of this, Kiba/Akamaru saw the bubble right in front of their nose. Acting as one, the giant dog lunged forward, and bit the bubble with all its might. His razor sharp teeth punctured the bubble, and the Holy energy was freed.

An explosion rocked the skies, and the Fallen were sent crashing to earth from the sheer force of it. This worked out well for Naruto, as it saved him the trouble of knocking one down himself. The hybrid creature was no more, as the divine energy clashed with the anger in Kiba's system, knocking him out and causing him to separate from his partner. Akamaru meanwhile had his front teeth blown out from the force of the blast. What was more interesting however, was that where the Holy energy touched his lava like flesh, it cooled and seemed to turn back into fur. That didn't matter much to Akamaru at this point though, as he was busy fighting off unconsciousness, and wondering when the blood would stop falling from his mouth.

Naruto looked at the crow wings he had attached to his arms with chakra with some worry. He had no idea how the Fallen flew with these things, they didn't look like they'd last more then a few moments. Deciding to take a preverbal, and also quite literal, leap of faith, Naruto made a running jump off the ledge, allowing the tattered wings he'd cut from the back of a Fallen hit the air. When said wings met hot air, the bore Naruto upward toward his destination. From there, Naruto found that all he had to do was keep flying over hot air to keep himself airborne. This was easier then expected, due to patches of fire all around the area that had been caused by Kiba's fire attacks. Soon, after a few close calls, he had reached the top of the stumbling Akamaru's head. In the nick of time too, because right as he was landing, the wings gave way, falling away in a stream of feathers.

Discarding the broken wings, Naruto walked over to the downed Kiba. Glad the fight was over Naruto raised Kami's medallion and prepared to turn his friend back to normal. The healing started at Kiba's feet, causing fur to recede and the legs to become more human like. But as it reached the mid point, Kiba jerked awake. His eyes locked onto Naruto, and his mouth frothed with fury.

_**"I'll kill you!" **_he screamed, even as his voice started to lose its guttural growl. His speed hadn't left yet, nor had his claws. Before Naruto knew what happened, Kiba was inside his guard, claws heading for his unprotected throat. Naruto couldn't believe it, after all this, he would die here. He closed his eyes and prayed for a miracle, something that would save him, and allow him to continue his quest.

The blow never came. Naruto opened his eyes, to see a panting Kiba, steam rising from him as his body finished reverting to human form. The last thing to change were his eyes, the yellow in them slowing draining, and with it, the anger they held._** "But if I did that"**_ Kiba spoke in a whisper, _**"she would be sad" **_his hand started to lower as his body began to slump to the ground_** "and I could never do that to her" **_and with that final statement, Kiba slumped to the ground unconscious.

Naruto himself was stunned to silence, something he wasn't normally accustomed too. Kiba had had the chance to kill him, but at the last moment had changed his mind. Naruto could only guess that with enough of he anger drained to make a rational choice, Kiba had chosen to not act in anger. And that act of nonaggression, had been the saving grace of not just Naruto, but Kiba and all their unsaved friends as well. Shaking his head and deciding he would ponder the nature of such things later, he turned around and started the long process of helping Akamaru.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As he had thought, healing Akamaru had taken much longer. But even as the last of the lava receded and only pure fur remained, Naruto hadn't changed two things. Akamaru's size, and fire breath. Something told him those were going to be necessary to get through the wall not to far from them.

And, like magic, as soon as he finished Akamaru, Kiba began to stir. Sitting up and rubbing his head to ward off a massive headache, Kiba looked at Naruto, for the first time with out hate.

"Hey" Naruto said, trying to start the usual conversation. Kiba scratched his head, blinking as his eyes adjusted to not being quite as sharp as they had been as a werewolf.

_**"Naruto… oh my head… what happened?" **_Kiba asked, looking around. Naruto was surprised, surely Kiba remembered?

"Do you… not remember what just happened?" he asked tentatively. Kiba suddenly sat a little straighter, as the memories of what he'd been and done came to him.

_**"oh…. yeah…." **_he said, rubbing the back of his head as he stood.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Naruto asked, wondering if that would help his friend.

_**"No. Not really… not now anyway….. maybe later" **_Kiba answered, looking down at the ground. Naruto was about to reply when Kiba suddenly interrupted _**"All I'm going to say is… sorry… and thanks… I guess" **_Kiba said, crossing his arms and looking anywhere but Naruto. Naruto smirked, Kiba had always been a man of action, not touchy feely things.

"Alright we'll talk about it later. After I finish my mission" he said, deciding to respect his friends wishes.

Kiba went over to inspect Akamaru, who was now back to his old self, and happily wagging his tail, even as it created a large wind that was knocking things over. _**"So what now?" **_he asked, looking back at Naruto.

Naruto sighed, something he'd been doing a lot lately "I am going to absolve you, and send you on to heave…"

_**"I'm sensing a 'but' here" **_Kiba said, blunt as always.

Naruto chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I was hoping that, before you go, you would let Akamaru help me with one little thing?" he asked.

Kiba looked suspicious _**"What 'little thing' exactly?" **_he asked.

Naruto just pointed behind Kiba "I need him to knock down that" he stated simply. Kiba looked at it, then down at Akamaru. They seemed to converse between the two of them in their own way, leaving Naruto in the dark. Finally after a brief pause, Kiba turned to Naruto

_**"We're in" **_

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After everything Naruto had gone through in this circle, the assault on the Wall didn't look like it was going to be much at all. They met no opposition along the way, and even if they did, Akamaru towered over most demons.

Suddenly though, Naruto heard a voice that gave him pause. It was just as they were crossing the large bridge that led from Anger to the City of Dis. It was the voice of a man, but Naruto didn't know where it was coming from

_We moved toward the City, secure in our Holy cause, and beheld such a fortress. And on every hand I saw a great plain of woe, and cruel torment. Bitter tombs were scattered with flames, made to glow all over… hotter then iron need be for any craft. And such dire laments issued forth, as come only from those that are truly retched; suffering and forever lost!_

Naruto looked around, wondering where the voice was coming from. What it said was accurate, the wall was everything the voice had described and more, but what was it?

"Where did that come from?" Naruto asked Kiba, who was seated in the center of Akamaru's forehead.

_**"Where did what come from?" **_Kiba asked, and Naruto saw that he was serious. Kiba hadn't herd the voice, only he had. But why? What did it mean?

Finally reaching the wall, Akamaru stood on his hind legs, and slammed his front legs against the Wall. The whole thing shook and cracked, and large portions of it crumbled away. A second blow was all it took to destroy the rest of the wall in front of them. Naruto had to admit, Hell certainly had interesting architecture, but it sure as shit wasn't very sturdy.

Once inside, Kiba and Naruto witnessed the true cowardice of demons. Seeing the giant Akamaru, they fled before the sight of him, knowing that there was nothing they could do. For all their posturing, they reacted just as humans might. Deciding to spite the demons that had made their lives such a living nightmare, Kiba, after hearing Akamaru still had fire breath, had his partner burn as much as they could to the ground. All around them the building crumbled to nothing. Soon, they stood in the ruins of part of the City of Dis.

As they made their way to a bridge, Naruto felt something inside him say it was time to part ways. Informing Kiba, he used Kami's amulet to shrink Akamaru back to normal size. Opening the Portal he was becoming so familiar with, Naruto said his goodbyes with Kiba.

As Kiba and Akamaru stepped through the Portal, Kiba decided that he needed the last word_** "By the way, don't think that just because I spared ya means it don't count. I would've won, so that makes us even." **_he said, cocky grin on his face. All that did was give Naruto a tick on his forehead

"You passed out! How does that count?" he exclaimed, making Kiba laugh at him.

_**"Nobody likes a sore loser Uzumaki" **_he said, before looking at Naruto seriously _**"You'd better live Naruto, so we can break this tie." **_

Naruto just nodded, understanding what his friend was saying. And with that, plus a final bark from Akamaru, the dynamic duo left Hell once and for all. And as the Portal closed, Naruto once more became aware of how important his mission was. And so he turned, making his way to the bridge, and into the Circle of Heresy.

_-Naruto In Hell-_**The Friend Who Wants Us Dead  
**

Deep in a swampy tunnel, a hunched figure crawled out of the muck. The figure stood, hunched with forced age, and tried to brush mud from their robe. Warugi sighed, knowing that it was pointless.

_**"You failed to kill Naruto Uzumaki" **_a voice stated from the shadows, causing Warugi to jump in surprise. Turning, he saw the shadowy form of a man, red eyes glaring at him from the darkness.

Warugi shrugged _**"Yeah well, you don't sound too broken up about it" **_he said with a shrug of his shoulders. _**"Frankly, I don't think you really wanted me to kill him. I bet you're all relieved that your little friend made it through one more challenge" **_he said with a laugh. His laughter turned into a gasp as a sword found a home in his chest.

_**"You've forgotten your place" **_the man said stepping closer to Warugi _**"And with Naruto no longer in your circle, and you barely alive due to lack of magic, what use are you to me anymore?" **_the man asked with a cruel smile, twisting the blade in the Tengu.

Before Warugi could say anything to defend himself, he was dead, killed by the blade of Sasuke Uchiha. Turning away from the corpse, Sasuke looked into his sword, gazing at the reflection of his Sharingan eyes. _**"Come to us Naruto" **_Sasuke said, his voice changing as he spoke. He stepped back into the shadows, his form merging with them _**"Come to us… and die…" **_the voice whispered, though if any were looking, they would see the hint of a frown playing across Sasuke's face.

**End Chapter 6**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura

**Kaiza

**Hanabi

**Lust: **Ino (Absolved)

Jiraiya (Absolved)

Orochimaru (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

**Ebisu

**Anko

**Mei Terumi

**Gluttony: **Choji (Absolved)

Zetsu (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Jirobou (Punished)_

_**Koharu (Punished) _

**Greed: **Kakuzu (Punished)

Shino (Absolved)

Tsunade (?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Taki (Absolved) _

_**Gato (?)_

_**Shizune (Absolved) _

**Anger: **Temari (Absolved)

Shikamaru (Absolved)

Kiba & Akamaru (Absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Tayuya (Absolved) _

_**Kin Tsuchi (Absolved) _

_**Doto Kazahana (Punished) _

**Heresy**

**Violence: **

**Fraud: **

**Treachery:**

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Pein, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Neji, Tenten, Gaara, Kankuro, Tsunade**

And so it has come to pass, that Naruto has conquered the Circle of Anger. He has faced down great evil, not only from the more powerful denizens of Hell, but from the powerful corruption that spread to the hearts of those he cherishes. Naruto is now another step closer to completing his journey. They only question is, what will he find waiting for him at the end?

Next Time: Don't give up now Naruto, your more then halfway there! But don't think that things will get any easier, cause in the City of Dis, nothing is as it seems. Here in the Circle of Heresy, the damned walk unappeased, and some wield great power. But one has to wonder, in the land of the Pagans, who's really pulling the strings? If that wasn't bad enough, Naruto will also face those who lacked proper faith. Those Heretics and Atheists seem to know what they're talking about, and one soul in particular will go to great lengths to make sure Naruto gets her point. Finally, at the end of the day, Naruto has an encounter that one might say was fated to be.

**I kinda feel like this is turning out like God of War with all the stuff I'm giving Naruto. I try to not make him too overpowered, and as you just saw, not everything will work on everybody. Plus, Naruto is still Naruto, and his experience is limited when it comes to some things. Like wielding mystical weapons. For those of you who want to keep track; Naruto's arsenal currently inculdes: **

**The Ninjato with Kama blade: Naruto's primary weapon. It serves as a more eastern substitute to Dante's scythe. Both blades can channel various chakra, usually burning unholy chakra. The blade and chain can both stretch to great lengths, and the Ninjato blade can become coated in a powerful poison. This power was achieved when the Kusanagi was fused with the Ninjato.  
**

**Kami's Amulet: Naruto's secondary weapon. IT serves as a substitute to Dante's cross. It can fire blasts of Holy chakra as powerful as rasengans, form force fields, heal both Naruto and others, allow Naruto to take control of lesser demons briefly, and allows him to converse directly with Kami in certain circumstances. **

**Temptress Storm: This power was given to Naruto by Ino at the end of the Circle of Lust. Naruto generally uses it when combined with Holy Chakra. Naruto uses it at close range and grappling to shock his opponents. He can also use it with his Ninjato, giving it extra power.  
**

**Golden Prayer Beads: This string of monk's prayer beads were given to by Shino in the Circle of Greed. These beads act much like the "sins of the father" Dante has. However, these can be aimed, and their are more of them. However, each individual bead must be filled with chakra before it can be used. The more chakra in a bead, the bigger punch it packs. **

**The Mask: A golden mask taken from Tsunade at the end of Greed. The mask is a tricky thing, allowing the wearer to manipulate the emotions of others. But the Mask is difficult to use. If the target knows what to expect, they can mentally prepare themselves. If the target doesn't have any emotions, it won't work. The target must be a living thing. And the user must concentrate a great deal to use effectively. A tricky weapon to be sure, and more may be revealed about it later... **

**The Tengu Gourd: Taken from the Tengu lord, this Gourd is a potent magical object. It possesses the ability to create whatever the holder desires, so long as the magic words "I fear (...)" though it can be used without the words at the cost of some serious chakra / magic. If the user continues to use the Gourd when their chakra is low, the Gourd will feed on the user's life force, quickly aging the user into old age, and if continued, death. **

**Will Naruto get more stuff as time goes on? I don't know maybe. Now, for those of you who have stuck around this long, here are your choices for SHOULD THEY BE SAVE?**

**Pein**

**Sasuke**

**These may or may not effect the story, I'm just curious to know what you, the reader think. If Naruto could save these men, should he? Should he allow them to escape punishment, or should he extend the olive branch of peace, and give them a second chance? Tell me what you think, in a review. **

**So there you have it, I hope to have the next chapter done, without making you wait as long as you did for this one. Please read and review. **

**Until Next Time...  
**


	7. Heresy

**ScarecrowMF: Ahh, what a lovely break I've had, how about all of you? (recieves glares from annoyed fans) What? Ok, I know I haven't updated this fic since April, but I had a major case of writer's block. Heresy was one of those places that, in the game, was a series of platforming puzzles. So I scrapped that idea, and had to reimagine the sixth circle. I've added some new enemies, which I hope you'll like, and there is plenty of action. In fact, this chapter has more action scenes then any of the other chapters. I apologize for the long wait, but I hope this makes up for it. **

**PS: For anyone who is following my other story "I Don't Know How to Deal With Youkai Academy", I'll be updating that next, relatively soon. If you haven't read it, check it out. It's a bit more light hearted then this one, and focuses more on comedy and character interactions then this one does. **

**Now, let's answer some reviews shall we?:**

**J.T (): Thank you, here's the update. Thank you for pointing out that error, I have corrected the problem. As for your list, some you got right, others not so much. This chapter should help narrow down the possibilities. I have also taken your thoughts on Sasuke and Pein into consideration.  
**

**Madness Abe: Thank you. He should save them both? Duely noted. I too enjoy the Nostalgia Critic. Yes, Madara's up there with all the great villains, like Azien, Naraku, Voldemort, etc. who we'd all like to see suffer in a firey pit until the end of time. Shika's Harem? Well, I got the idea for that from .com/naruto/comic/hinamanga_vol_. I thought it was funny, so I through in the joke. Why should Naruto be the only one to get a Harem? If I can find a set of girls to attach to Shino, he'll be next! (But who though? Shizune maybe? Hmm...) Sasuke, well the thing about him is, well, you see... I cannot adequately explain that at this time. A Dragon? Well, I'm not sure about any dragons, though I might use that idea later on...  
**

**rde82: Yes, yes it is. Thank you. **

**jmasta32: Thank you. Save Pein, end Sasuke? Duely noted. **

**Master of the Boot: Thank you. I was worried Naruto was becoming too strong. That's why, a lot of times, I put against enemies that are immune to one or more of his powers. This should be a video game? Hmm... very well, "Internet user's hear me! Go Forth, and Make it SO!" now all I have to do is wait. Seriously though, I'm flattered you think so highly of me. In this chapter, Naruto will gain two more items, to represent two more of Dante's powers. Yeah, not enough people think about things from the clones perspective. I hope the bossess here are as impressive as the others. As for a crossover, I don't know. I may make a passing reference to him, but I don't know about him appearing in that way. **

**Baron von Nobody: Thank you. As for a possible sequal... we'll see. I will take what you said about Pein and Sasuke into account when I get to that part. For the most part, people seem more willing to save Pein then Sasuke, but I guess that's not really a surprise.  
**

**Killjoy: Thank you. True, that sort of thing does seem against Naruto's nature. I guess I'll have to think on it some more.  
**

**BNGwarrior: Thank you. Well, one of your guesses about this chapter is right. Pein and Sasuke's fates are still being debated, but thank you for your input.  
**

**airnaruto45: The female in the circle of Heresy is... below this response, in the chapter. **

**darkvizardking69: Thank you. I only have a few more gifts to give Naruto before this is over, and by the time he gets to the end, he'll need every one of them. Also, thank you for commenting on Pein, and Sasuke. Hidan? Well...  
**

**Drake G. Reaper: Thank you. You'd be surprised. Violence is going to be a very long chapter, and I have made Heresy it's own chapter, to accomadate all the stuff that happens. As for an ACxDI crossover, that'll have to wait. While it is an interesting idea, I'll probably finish this before I do another DI crossover. Even then, I might give it a little time. Don't want people to think I'm just a one act pony after all. Still, thanks for the idea.  
**

**Thanathos:Thank you for both your compliments and your thoughts on what should happen to certain characters. The Yamata no Orochi? I'm not sure. I may have a place for him, but I'm not sure yet. I'll have to think on it.  
**

**Blades252: Thank you. A pet Cerberus might be hard to house train. Your thoughts on absolving Sasuke will be considered.  
**

**ranchboy1: Thank you. Oh, there will definately be a fight. But as to there, fate, well, even I don't know at this point.  
**

**Diablo200030002002: Thank you, glad to here you love it. Your votes will be counted.  
**

**Dark Fox King: Thank you. Glad to hear it's Epic.  
**

**Draco Oblivion: Thank you. Naruto really is a good person at heart, and he will always try his best. **

**Now, I know you all want to dive right in to this chapter, but I just have one last thing to add: In Heresy, atheists are punished. While I myself have no problems with atheists, Dante did. Also, if there are any scientologists out there, I have made 1 joke at your expense, sorry. Don't take it too personally. **

**The edits on this may not be 100% complete. I will look it over later for spelling and grammatical errors.  
**

**Now then, let's dive straight into the next circle of the Inferno, and begin: **

**-Naruto In Hell- City of the Damned  
**

The first thing Naruto did after Kiba had left, was jump off the bridge. While normally this may seem shockingly stupid and suicidal of Naruto, in his mind it made perfect sense. After all, every other circle had transitioned into the next by going down. So logically (a word he never thought he'd have to use) the best way to get further into Heresy was to dive down from the bridge. Not far down, but slightly to his left, he saw one of the many conveniently placed bone spires. Figuring that he might as well take it, Naruto hooked onto it with his Kama. Swinging over to it, he continued his decent at a more reasonable pace.

The walls here were different then they were in the other circles. Here, it looked like the wall was lined with coffins. The only difference between these coffins and regular ones, was that these periodically exploded with fire, followed by screams of tortured anguish and despair. This was particularly agitating to Naruto, who was in the middle of jumping from the spire to a tightrope. But like most of the odd challenges that tried to slow him down between circles, this one wasn't successful. It took a lot of ducking and weaving, but after what seemed like a dozen or so bone spires later, Naruto was on his way to safety. Relatively speaking of course.

However, this climbing was briefly interrupted as Naruto passed what might have passed for a window. In it was the statue of a man. His head was clean shaven, and his arms were raised as though in prayer. Naruto blinked at him, wondering if he was of any significance.

At that point, the world shook, and a beam of light as brighter then the sun blasted thought the Inferno. The beam past right through the statue, reducing it to ruble. Naruto felt his eye twitch. That light could only have come from Kami. What on earth was she doing throwing around disintegration beams like that! What if he had been in the way? He glared down at his amulet, which was busy looking innocent and ordinary on his belt. Naruto didn't buy the act for a moment.

Dropping down from the bone, he landed on a nice solid platform. In front of him was a large door, which looked sealed shut. And next to that door, looking like she was about to have a heart attack was a startled Kyubi.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Kyubi was not happy. One minute she was sitting and enjoying the misery and suffering of others. The next, a huge ass beam of Kami's blessed power slams through Hell like a goddamn missile, blowing shit up and scaring her half to death. When Naruto found her, she was trying to steady her breathing, her hand pressed between her crimson boobies, making the young holy warrior blush. Thankfully he couldn't here any of the obscenities she was muttering, because the last thing she needed was for the brat to mention anything to Kami about it. Frankly, she wondered what Kami was playing at with the stunt she just pulled. Oh well, it wasn't like it was her job to ask questions, just rely info to the foolish mortal.

Seeing Naruto about to speak, Kyubi quickly regained her serious pose and started her preprepared speech. The last thing she wanted was to hear this idiots' voice more then she had to. _"Here you will find the Heretics, and followers of every cult and pagan sect. All buried together, burning in eternal fire." _she told him, gesturing widely to the vast amount of tombs that made up the sixth circle.

Naruto nodded, thinking of the very unpleasant sounding punishment. "Might those damned here be saved?" he asked, as he considered the possibility of using his powers to pry open the coffins and save the people inside.

_" These tombs remain closed."_ Kyubi told him with a stern look._ "Until from Jehoshaphat and the last judgment, they return to the bodies they left above." _she said, never taking her eyes off him. Then, like a mirage, vanished without a trace.

Naruto frowned. He didn't like the Kyubi, but he wished she stay around for more then a few sentences. Shrugging it off, he turned his attention to the unfortunate door blocking his path.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After dealing with the door, Naruto found himself in a long hallway, lined with more coffins. At the far end of the hall, the coffins were busy belching flames. Luckily his end seemed to be taking a reprieve. Not wanting to take the chance that they might switch off, Naruto dashed forward. Halfway through the hall, the room had a small circular room free of coffins or fire. Stopping there, Naruto looked back to see that the hall behind him had not caught fire.

As he turned back around, Naruto caught site of something coming through the flames ahead. Whatever it was must have been heavy, because with every footstep came a loud 'thunk' noise. Then, the creature stepped out of the fire, the orange flames giving one last lick to its strange body.

Whatever it was, it was about a head taller then Kakuzu had been in life. It's whole body seemed to be like a suit of knight's armor, but was far wider then any human or demon Naruto had seen. The armor was a dark gray, but was blackened by ash. The glove portion of the armor appear to be thicker then the rest. The helmet only barely resembles what a human head should be. Where the face plate should raise up, there are three slits. Each is only about as wide as baby's wrist, but is enough to allow an ominous glow to filter through them.

It made no outwardly aggressive moves toward Naruto. Instead, it just kept coming closer and closer. Deciding a preemptive strike was in order, Naruto hurled his Kama blade at its head. With a clang, the blade bounced off, doing no damage to creature. It did, however, seem to get its attention. Turning its head to look down at Naruto, the creature's face holes glowed a violent red. Naruto had an instant to jump out of the way as a beam of energy struck the ground where he had been standing. As it touched the ground, the hard stone melted into protoplasm. Naruto gulped, that was something he was going to have to avoid.

Standing, he was forced to jump again as the creature barreled toward him. It slammed into the wall, creating deep cracks in its surface. Naruto blasted it from behind with his Medallion, while trying to reach the monster with his Mask. He couldn't find a real mind inside the creature, which meant he couldn't control it. The holy energy splashed against the its back, doing as much damage as if Naruto had thrown water at it.

Naruto was forced to used his Ninjato as the behemoth flailed its arms around, trying to smash him into pulp. As it buried a tree trunk sized arm in the wall, Naruto attempted to lop it off with his sword. The blow nearly numbed Naruto's arm, but didn't so much as leave a scratch. He was so shocked, he didn't move in time as the thing grabbed him. Instantly, Naruto felt a pain unlike any other. The monster's armor like skin was unbearably hot. Naruto felt his sweat turn to steam, and his mouth felt horribly dry. He wouldn't be surprised to find that his armor was melting. He needed to get away from there. His non-armored clothing was starting to catch fire. He just wanted to cool off. He remembered the freezing cold of Snow country. Now, the frigid wasteland sounded perfect. Wait! That was it!

Hoping against hope, Naruto popped the cork on the Gourd. "I fear being frozen!" he called, his voice sounding parched. Luckily it was enough for the Gourd, which immediately heeded his words and released a beam of ice, as cold as the monster was hot. Powered by Naruto's desire to freeze the beast solid, it was able to match it for power. The creature was forced to let go of Naruto as it tried to protect itself from the dreadful chill. It's faceplate glowed again, and it released another beam of heat. The ice was pushed back, forcing Naruto to pump even more power into the Gourd. After a tense stalemate, Naruto won out, and the creature could do nothing as it was frozen in place. Naruto sighed as he bent to grab the cork. That had left him very tired, and that was just his first encounter.

Suddenly, a crack echoed in the room. Naruto turned, and was horrified to see the ice starting to crack and melt. The ice should have had enough power left to keep it frozen long enough for Naruto to get out of there. But even now, the prisoner at its core was heating up. Soon the top of the ice exploded outward. The being laid its hands on the rest of the ice, causing it to melt rapidly too.

The only good thing was that Naruto could see that the armor was littered with hundreds of tiny cracks. When metal is frozen, and then rapidly heated (or vice versa), it cracks or breaks. Metal just wasn't meant to take such a rapid change of temperature extremes. It was only the metal's mystical qualities that had kept it from breaking.

Of course, Naruto didn't know any of this, having never taken science course in his life. He was just thanking his good fortune that something had worked. He did notice though, that due to the cracks, more and more heat seemed to be escaping the armor. He also saw a side effect of the beast freeing itself that it hadn't. The heat it was emanating from its entire body was enough to melt through solid stone, in this case the floor. The longer it kept up that heat, the more the floor became a liquified mess. And due to the cracks in its armor, the beast was having some trouble reigning in its power. Soon, with an ominous rumble, the floor gave way beneath its heavy form, sending it falling away to Kami knows where.

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief. At least he knew what to do if he encountered more of those things. From there, it was a simple pull of a lever located to his left to shut off the flames in front of him, revealing a door behind. Moving quickly, he exited the room.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After running down a long hall, and climbing a soul wall, which had told him to 'ignore the sacraments' whatever that meant, and more ominously 'your god cannot help you here, he found… more hallways. He sighed, at least he had the chance to catch his breath. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something big was gonna happen.

He was probably just being paranoid… right?

_-Naruto In Hell-_

_**"This has gone on long enough." **_an old voice said, annoyance clear in his tone as he addressed three others in the room. _**"We cannot allow that boy to get any further! " **_he stated.

One of the other figures shook his head in amusement _**"You cannot believe that he is really a threat to us now? The plan is nearly completed, and nothing can be done by this child to stop it." **_the figure's tone was light, but there was an undertone of great power and authority to it.

The third figure stepped forward _**"You should not ever underestimate the dobe" **_they said _**"I believe that doing so is exactly what you did" **_he turned to the second figure _**"And because of that, we ended up here in the first place!" **_he said, his fists clenched in anger.

The second figure sighed, knowing he was outvoted. _**"Very well, what do you intend to do?" **_he asked the first.

The first smirked, a mad glint in his eye. _**"Sense the boy is in the sixth circle, I say we awaken 'it', and let it have a go at him." **_he said.

The first frowned _**"The binding on 'it' are quite powerful. They would take some time to undo. Even then it wouldn't be permanent. Kami has bound 'it to that circle, and and at present we lack the power to override it. The binding are in fact, almost like the ones used to bind - " **_

_**"Do not speak his name!" **_the third figure yelled, casting a wild look around him, as though waiting for something to strike from the shadows.

The first shook his head at third, before turning back to the second _**"Very well, give it a go. But had better work. For once it might be nice to see a scheme of yours actually bare fruit, wouldn't… Danzo?" **_the voice asked, as the shadowy figure faded away, followed by the third figure.

Danzo turned to the only figure still in the room. They were bowed low, waiting for him to give them orders. Danzo smirked, how the mighty had fallen. _**"Go" **_he said _**"awaken the creature, but do not engage Uzumaki yourself, is that clear?" **_he ordered. The figure nodded his head, snake like eyes starring glassily into space. A moment later, the room was empty.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto was beginning to think that Heresy was nothing but a series of hallways. After the living armor, the next six doors had lead to more hallways. Except instead of armor, they had piss-ant Throne demons. These would have been simple, except that they walls were also composed of more coffins, which randomly shot fire. Three of the Throne demons had been barbecued by said fire, two before Naruto even engaged them in combat!

Finally, after what seemed like forever, he opened a door that didn't lead to another hallway. Instead, it was the room where the ray of light had blown the wall to smithereens. Kyubi was there waiting for him, lurking in the shadows. She kept glancing at the ray of light, like she was waiting for it to turn and smite her. Nauruto didn't know why. The closer he got to it, the better he felt. It was like the feeling one got when they knew everything was going to be all right, and that there was no need to fear.

Kyubi took a step toward him, but made sure to put him between the light and her. _" Not long after my first death, I saw the mighty one take forth from here a group of ancient shades: The father of all ninjas, his son, the first kages, and others. The deep foul valley trembled on all sides and I thought the universe felt… love…. " _she whispered. The light seemed to pulse slightly at her words. Kyubi flinched as though struck, and vanished in an instant.

Naruto frowned, unsure what to make of what Kyubi had told him. He had wanted to ask about the suit of armor, but now it looked like he wasn't going to get the chance.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

From there, he simply looked down from the ledge. Well, he took back what he said about Heresy being all hallways. Spotting a tightrope which spanned the length of the chasm beneath him, Naruto did what he usually did: something stupid and dangerous. He walked off the platform, and allowed himself to plummet the two-hundred feet, catching the rope before it sailed past him. From there, he swung his way across to the other side. It was a long trip via rope, and Naruto got the chance to admire some of the architecture. Off to his right was a large statue, nearly half the size of Hokage-Mountain, depicting an old man in billowing monks robes. Naruto wondered just who he was to get such a statue.

Reaching the end of the rope, Naruto dropped from it to the floor. When he did, he almost landed right on top of a shade. The shade gave an indignant shout, and tried to crawl away. Naruto wasn't sure, but he was thinking he was not going to like this shade.

Stepping forward he grabbed the protesting shades leg, and allowed its lifetime of deeds to come to him. He found himself very surprised at who this was. This was the shade of the Fourth Kazekage, Gaara's father. He was here for going against the teachings of his predecessors and creating a new jinchuriki. True the Second had researched the idea of creating a vessel from the captured spirit of Shukaku, but found the idea to be too hazardous for anyone to undertake at the time. The Third had continued on with that ideology, and had tried to pass that along to his student, the Fourth. Alas, the Fourth Kazekage had disregarded the teachings of his former Kages, and ordered the creation of a jinchuriki anyway, using his own son no less.

But, when the time came that he realized the truth behind his masters words, it was too late. His son had become feared by everyone for something the boy had no control over; and so the Kage sought to execute him.

Naruto grimaced. True, the Kazekage couldn't be faulted for creating a jinchuriki; many villages had already done the same. That didn't make it right, and Naruto especially found it reprehensible what he had done to his friend. But… what would Gaara and his siblings think if they found out that he had sentenced their father to an even greater punishment.

He couldn't absolve the man, not after what he had done. But he guessed it wasn't really his place to punish the man more then he already was.

With that thought, he turned and continued on his path. He looked down at his amulet, wondering if this was Kami sending him a message: not every decision is clear cut, sometimes the gray area is too great. He sighed, he figured this was one he would let Kami sort out for herself.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto stood still, unsure how to proceed with his journey. Before him was a large door, the only one in the entire hall. The only problem was that in front of said door stood three suits of armor. He had had trouble fending off one suit, he worried if he could handle three.

Then something seemed to spark off a memory in the back of his mind. The last suit of armor only attacked him, after he had attacked it. So maybe, if he could sneak past these three without drawing attention to himself, he would get by without a fight.

Taking a deep breath, he ran full pelt toward the three unmoving armors. Adding chakra to his legs, he jumped at the last minute, landing on and sticking to the door frame with chakra. A simple enhanced kick to the door sent it flying wide-open. And the statues hadn't moved an inch.

With a sigh of relief he flung himself inward. As soon as he touched ground, he heard a rumbling noise. Turning, he watched as the doors slammed shut behind him. That had never been a good sign. Steeling himself for what he would likely see soon, Naruto began to examine the room he found himself trapped in.

_-Naruto In Hell- Debates and Deathbattles  
_

It was a rather large room, though somewhat spartan in design. It was about the size of the stadium from the preliminaries of the chunin exams. The room's walls were bare, as were the floor and ceiling. But even that seemed unnatural. It was like the room reeked of emptiness and sorrow. Naruto felt as though something fundamental had been taken from him, and it wasn't coming back; at least until he got the hell out of this room… he hoped.

The only defining feature of the room was a raised platform sitting in the exact center. On this platform was a single coffin. It was solid black, so dark all light in the room seemed drawn to it. This made it appear to glow with an unearthly sheen, as though tempting you to open it to see what was inside. And unlike the other coffins, which gave off incredible heat as they prepared to belch fourth gouts of flame, this one felt… cold.

And yet, despite the immense feeling of foreboding that Naruto felt in the pit of his soul, he knew he would have to open it.

Walking up to it, he summoned a clone on the other side, and set about moving the massive slab of stone that covered the top. It came away surprisingly easily, and without so much as sound of scraping stone.

Dismissing the clone, Naruto peered inside cautiously. He found… nothing. He blinked. He had expected a lot of things; nothing had not been one of them. Shrugging, he turned and began to try and find an exit. But as soon as he did, it hit him. A sense of dread and foreboding mixed with painful emptiness struck him harder then any killer intent ever could. Before he could turn around, he felt something wrap itself around his neck and pull him back violently. He slammed into the side of the coffin, and had to use all of his strength to keep from being pulled into it. Twisting himself in the thing's grasp, he looked back and saw that the coffin wasn't empty anymore.

Where once was empty space now billowed angry waves of white hot flame. But that wasn't all. Rising up from the flames came a rather imposing looking figure, holding the chain that connected to Naruto's neck. The figure only rose up to their waist, keeping their lower half hidden in the sea of flames.

_**"Where are you going Naruto? There's always room for one more in here…" **_the figure said lightly, but Naruto detected a harsh cold undertone to the words. Listening to the voice, and seeing a shift in the light, Naruto was able to piece together who the figure was, despite the massive changes to their body. It was really one of the last people he'd expect.

"Tenten?" he asked, hardly able to believe that it was the former weapons mistress that was threatening him now.

Tenten had certainly had a makeover sense he saw her last. Her skin had turned steel gray. Her fingernails looked like metal flint glittering in the fire light. From her back curved nine pipes, which even now were belching foul black smoke into the air. When she opened her mouth, Naruto was treated to another creepy surprise. Her teeth were not normal. The same color as her skin, her human teeth had been replaced by tiny drills. He wasn't sure that was what they were, until he saw that they were spinning even as he looked at them. There was an ominous red glow in the back of her mouth too, and when she breathed out, it came with a hissing, whistling noise. But her eyes… she had no eyes! Where her eyes should be were only holes that opened right into her open body cavity. She was hollow on the inside! The fire inside her illuminated where her eyes should be, giving them a glowering flickering appearance.

"Tenten… what on earth…?" he asked. Everyone else he had encountered had suffered a demonic transformation, but none like this. Tenten looked… nonorganic.

Looking down at her arms with something akin to shame, Tenten shrugged _**"This? Yeah, I've changed a lot sense the world changed…" **_she said. Naruto frowned. 'Sense the world changed'? what did that mean? Well first things first.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. He knew it was a stupid question to ask. None of his friends were okay.

Tenten looked at him straight in the eye. Or, what should have been her eye anyway. _**"Oh I'm fine Naruto" **_she said, jovially _**"Never better actually. The world is full of sunshine and kittens" **_she lashed out with her arm, which lengthened into a blade, Naruto only managing to dodge with sheer reflex _**"No I'm not fucking okay!" **_Tenten growled, her teeth drills gnashing into one another with a horrible screeching noise. Taking a deep breath Tenten managed to calm herself down. _**"Sorry. Sorry. Lost my cool there for a second." **_she said sheepishly, and for a moment, Naruto saw a hint of the old Tenten inside.

Stepping cautiously forward, he took out the amulet and held it up. "Don't worry Tenten, I'll use Kami's powers to heal you and you can move on" he said reassuringly.

But that didn't seem to work. As soon as she saw the amulet Tenten's arms lengthened into blades. She held them in front of her defensively, glaring at Naruto like he was pointing an explosive kunai at her.

_**"Oh no you won't" **_she said hatefully _**"I won't become food for that leech" **_she told him. Seeing his confusion written across his face, she elaborated _**"Ah, I see, you're still under the impression you're serving some loving deity"**_ Tenten sneered. Throwing back her head she let loose a laugh, though it sounded as hollow as the rest of her. "_**Even after all you've been through, you're still a naive fool Naruto."**_ she insulted the blond. _**"Please, heaven and hell? Kami and the Devil? What childish nonsense. Not everything is so magically fanciful Uzumaki." **_she told him.

Naruto couldn't believe his ears, no Kami? What was Tenten thinking? "What are you talking about Tenten? Where do you think you are? You're in Hell, and I need to get you out of here!" he yelled, desperate to snap Tenten out of her delusion.

Tenten shook her head _**"Hell? Not quite. You don't actually believe that do you?" **_she looked at Naruto _**"The truth is just as fantastic I suppose, but all to real" **_she said, getting to tell Naruto what had 'really' happened and where they 'really' were. _**"Most likely, after you foolishly caused that explosion on top the demon statue, a massive amount of tainted chakra spread over the land like a cancer. Like radiation, it caused horrible mutations, creating the 'demons' you see before you. The sentient masses of chakra you call demons will likely reform after a time. Your 'kami' is nothing more then one such mass of chakra. Like one of the tailed beasts, it likely seeks to cause as much pain and destruction as it can. However, it seems smarter then the others, knowing that direct confrontation might lead to it being sealed." **_she continued with a laugh _**"though, now that I think about it, that is rather foolish of it. Now that most of humanity has been killed or horribly mutated, it wouldn't be too difficult for a powerful entity to take us all down. But regardless, that leads us to the roll you have to play in it's plan Naruto." **_she said, pointing a blade at him _**"The chakra mass likely seeks to add more to it for sustenance, and chose to employ you. You chose to believe its ridiculous tale of being Kami, and how you needed to 'save the people'. In reality, what you've done is either kill off anyone who could stand against it, or feed them to it." **_she accused, glowering at Naruto _**"You've sacrificed your friends Naruto, to some chakra leech. And now you want to do the same to me? No thank you." **_she told him, settling into a fighting stance.

Naruto was dumbfounded by Tenten's version of events. In another time and place they might sound plausible, but knowing the truth, as he did, it just sounded deranged and sad.

"Tenten" he took a step forward, trying to make the weapon loving girl see reason "That isn't true. There really is a Kami. She's wonderful and loving, and she really did send me to help you. She-" he was cut off by Tenten suddenly vibrating like an engine. Her face was contorted into one of fury.

_**"How dare you spew such lies! If there really was such a thing; an all knowing all loving god, what is all this!" **_she screamed gesturing widely around her _**"Why would a just and loving god allow such a place to exist? Why would our friends be here? Is your kami fooled so easily that innocent people can be sent to hell on a whim?"**_ she raved, her iron like skin bubbling and taking the shape of various weapons as she spoke _**"Get a grip fool, you're living in a fantasy! What god would allow the travesties we witnessed in the war with Akatsuki to happen? Why would she allow such unspeakable evil. If she were truly all powerful, why not create a world where peace and love reign supreme?" **_she demanded of Naruto, though he got the feeling she wasn't expecting an answer.

Suddenly a Kunai grew from her hand, and shot towards Naruto. He of course dodged it, only to have to deflect another with his Ninjato. Tenten smirked at Naruto _**"Why do you bother to deflect my attack Naruto? I only intend to send you back to Kami" **_her tone mocked him _**"Perhaps you're worried what your master will think about you failing your mission, or maybe" **_her drill tooth grin spread maliciously _**"You've grasped the truth of my words. You know that if you die, there is nothing waiting for you on the other side. That there is no loving embrace for one such as you. For all your big talk, you know I'm right. What we see is what there is, nothing more, nothing less." **_

Naruto shook his head and sighed. He realized there was nothing more he could say to Tenten. She wasn't going to listen to him anymore then the others had. Like always it came down to him having to harm his friends. He didn't like it, but for Tenten's own good, he'd have to send her to her maker.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto ran toward Tenten, Ninjato out, glowing with chakra. He locked blades with her, but was pushed back. The battle was made somewhat difficult due to Tenten having two blades. With a sudden heave, Naruto was airborne as Tenten hurled him back. Flipping in midair, Naruto fired off several Pray Beads. She managed to deflect most of them, but one did striker her right in the forehead with a resounding Gong! She almost fell backwards into her coffin, only to catch herself at the last second.

Pulling herself back up, Tenten eyes him with distain. Raising her arms, Naruto watched as they morphed before his eyes. The blades retracted, being replaced by skinny poles that surrounded her hands. Pointing her hands at him, the tubes began to rotate, and as Naruto saw Tenten's smirk spread, he knew he only had a second to act. Diving out of the way, Naruto heard a series of bangs come from the tubes, as several small balls of metal smashed into the area he had just been standing on. Though Naruto didn't know it, Tenten had turned her arms into a pair of Gatling Guns.

Taking aim again, Tenten unleashed another barrage of metal death toward Naruto. Thinking quickly, Naruto formed half a divine shield and fired it forward. The shield sped towards the bullets quickly, though not as fast as said projectiles. But the magic held true, and Tenten's bullet's began to bounce harmlessly off of it. But the farther it got from Naruto, the weaker it got. About half way to Tenten, the bullets started to punch through. But it had served it's purpose at that point. Naruto had bought enough time to think of his next move.

When she finally succeeded in destroying the shield, Tenten found something wrapping around her arm. Looking down, she saw the blade of Naruto's Kama blade hooked around her elbow. Looking up at Naruto with a raised eyebrow, the smirk on his face told her this was more then it appeared. The next second pain raced through her body as arches of electricity traveled down the length of chain, through the Kama blade, and into Tenten. Her body jerking in agony, Tenten nearly feel backwards into her coffin before she managed to catch her self.

Gripping the chain, Tenten was looking for some payback. A single jerk sent Naruto flying at her. Lifting her unchained arm, she morphed it into a war hammer and prepared to smash Naruto's mug face in. But as he neared her, she caught sight of his blue eyes, just visible behind his glowing gold mask, and suddenly she felt something. She was overcome by deepest despair. All the pain and suffering of her life came crashing back on her in an instant. She buried her head in her hands, as for the first time in a long time, she felt cold. Her core, which burned, which burned with the deadly flames used to punish the non-believers, began to dim, and Tenten could feel her power going with it. She hardly even notice Naruto righting himself in midair to land safely away from her. Wait! Naruto! He was the cause of this, she was sure! Somehow he had cast some sort of illusion on her to make her feel this way! She had to hurry, before the bastard forced her deep into true despair. Raising her arm, she focused as much as she could on a special transformation attack.

Naruto grunted with exertion as he tried to walk forward. He had been pleasantly surprised that the mask had actually worked on such a powerful enemy for once. Deciding that anger hadn't been the way to go, he'd chosen sadness. It had worked for awhile, and Naruto had been able to advance on her. But he found that he couldn't move too quickly, or he might attract her attention, and possibly break the spell. However, that was quickly becoming a non factor, as every passing moment, Tenten seemed to grow stronger. He had been forced to a near standstill as he tried to beat down Tenten's growing willpower. Seeing her arm morph, he knew that he had likely failed.

From Tenten's arm came a long cylinder tube, spanning nearly the length of the arm. But it was what was in the tube that was important. With a pulse of chakra, Tenten fired the strange device. Another cylinder of metal flew out of it, a trail of fire behind it, headed straight for Naruto. Tenten managed a smirk, as Naruto had no way to dodge it in time. The missile, for that was what it was, struck, exploding in an impressive fireworks display. Tenten knew she had made a direct hit, when she felt the sadness ebbing away. As the smoke and debris settled, Tenten was treated to the clang of metal, as Naruto's ninjato fell to the ground. And then it turned into a puff of smoke.

Above Tenten's head, Naruto sighed. He got why that trick had worked on the Tengu; the guy had never seen him fight before. But Tenten must have know about his skills with the Shadow Clone technique…? Actually, come to think of it; he and Tenten had had very little interaction when they had both been alive. That saddened him somewhat, knowing that he didn't know as much about one of his friends as he should. Perhaps he would forgive her for falling for his shadow clone replacement trick.

Either way, Naruto dropped down toward her, Ninjato at the ready. Tenten felt the displacement of air caused by his fall, and leaned back just in time. She avoided being staked through the head, but Naruto still caught her in the stomach. Knowing he needed to act quickly before Tenten killed him, he took out his amulet. While Tenten may have been squirming due to the sword in her gut before, now she was absolutely mental, trying desperately to keep the divine light pointed away from her. She grabbed Naruto with both arms, and struggled against his one. He couldn't use the other, as it was busy holding Tenten down. This, plus the effort it took not to fall down into the burning sea beneath her waist, was making for a very taxing exercise on Naruto's part.

Tenten must have been desperate, because she jerked forward and tried to bite off Naruto's arm! Her drill teeth were stopped by the armor Kami had given him, and the sound of metal drill on metal filled the air. It wouldn't cut through, but the pressure on his arm was really painful. S

Seeing no other choice, he channeled his tempest magic on more. Tenten was buffeted by winds, but what really got her was the lightning. She let go of Naruto as she was electrocuted by the volts he sent through her. He was glad she had let go, because he really didn't want to know if his lightning could backfire on him.

With his amulet hand free, he aimed it at her and started channeling the holy magic that should change her back. But as soon as it touched her metal skin, she started freaking out even more.

Suddenly, Naruto heard a rumble from beneath them, and the warning bells in his head told him he needed to leave. But he couldn't just let go of Tenten. Deciding he had no other choice, he started to form a divine shield around him. He never got the chance. Without warning, Tenten placed both her hands on the side of the coffin, and propelled herself, with Naruto attached, into the air. A moment later, the coffin flashed as a fountain of fire exploded outward and raced after them. Tenten hit the ceiling and caught it, her fingernails penetrating deeply enough to let her hand suspended. Twisting her body to an unnatural angle, Naruto found himself unpleasantly surprised when he was suddenly sent soaring through space. Though, perhaps more unpleasant was the painful landing he received.

Looking up, his eyes widened as he saw that where Tenten had been was being bathed in flames. He stood quickly, hoping desperately that Tenten was still ok. As quickly as it had started, the flames died down, leaving a curled up metal figure to fall to earth. Naruto recede toward her, medallion in hand, but stopped as the figure sudden shot up. And up. And Up.

For the first time, Naruto got a good look at Tenten's lower body. It looked torn away, and had she looked normal, Naruto would have sworn her intestines were hanging out, torn to shreds. Like everything else, they appeared to be made of metal. They hung down from her top, much longer then even normal intestines would be. Tenten now stood at about ten feet tall, give or take. Like tentacles, they balanced under Tenten, supporting her weight. If he had to compare it to something, Naruto would liken it to a spider. With the eight spindly intestinal-legs, and the way Tenten was now moving toward him, the comparison seemed appropriate.

As she charged, Tenten's arms became like giant scythes, ready to reap a terrible harvest. Naruto ducked under her, barely avoiding the no doubt razor sharp blades. He tried to lash out at her legs, but the skinny things danced and skittered away from his blows.

Naruto righted himself and turned to face his foe. Tenten had stopped her charge, and now turned her head a full 360 degrees to face him. Her mouth opened wide, and Naruto saw the orange glow of the flames insider her grow. He jumped just in time, as Tenten released a beam of unholy fire strong enough to disintegrate everything around it.

As soon as she stopped, Naruto hurled his Kama with the intent of wrapping it around her legs. Instead, Tenten jumped high into the air, her head brushing against the ceiling. Naruto's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he once again leapt to the side to avoid being crushed as Tenten landed where he had been standing.

Rolling to a stand, he launched several Prayer Beads at her, and was rewarded when they slammed into her with a resounding gong sound. Tenten snarled at him, her chest and torso shifting as a dozen or so nozzles popped out. After they formed, they began firing senbon needles at him, almost faster then he could dodge.

Diving under the assault, he was still hit with a few needles in his shoulders. Ignoring the pain he took his Kama blade, he ignited it with chakra, and hurled it in a wide arch as he fell. Tenten couldn't dodge in time, and as a result, lost one of her spider leg like chains.

Screeching in pain, Tenten leaned forward. The two buns which had always sat on top of her head seemed to shift. From the sides of the buns, buzz saw blades popped out. Naruto blinked at the sight which would have been comical had she not been trying to kill him. The twin buns shot off the top of her head straight at him, the blades whining like banshees as they flew. Flipping his Ninjato into a reverse grip, he dodged the first bun like he was a matador, slicing the evil bun thingy in half as if flew harmlessly by. The second bun, as though sensing the death of its partner, seemed to double the rotation of its blades at it turned in mid-air for a second pass. Naruto smirked, knocking the thing off course with an over powered blast from his amulet. Before it could right itself, a single gold bead flew through it, smashing it to pieces.

Naruto's smirk grew, as he summoned a dozen shadow clones to distract Tenten further. One of the clones stayed behind to pluck the needles carefully from his shoulders, which he then healed with his amulet.

The clones had not fared well in that time. They had tried to gang up on her with Rasengan's only to be dispelled when Tenten's senbon shooters suddenly changed into poison gas dispensers. A few summoned up their tempest magic and were able to disperse the poisonous cloud before it got near the boss, but ended up using most of their power. Luckily they had bought Naruto all the time he needed.

Giving a nod to the two remaining clones, he began to focus on Tenten. His Golden Mask glowed with power right before he unleashed an emotional storm upon her like no other.

Tenten was sure she was going to win. She had Naruto on the ropes, and she was easily able to counter anything that blonde headed idiot had thrown at her. She knew she had been right. If he was indeed Kami's chosen one, he would not be so easy to defeat. But then she felt it, a horrible feeling clawing at her mind. And just like before, she knew Naruto was behind it. Pain beyond belief slammed into her like a thousand kunai were being jammed into her skull. She felt happy, sad, angry, depressed, and hopeful, all at the same time. Her mind couldn't cope with the sudden influx of emotions. She had to make it stop.

Opening her mouth, she breathed her ray of destruction around her desperately searching for Naruto. Her senses were off, she couldn't see or hear him. It was like he was nowhere and everywhere around her. Again and again she fired blindly, unaware of the destruction that she was doing to her room, her prison. The walls were crumbling, and the floor had become brittle and weak, falling away entirely in some places. Below this room, Tenten was unsure. It could be another prison room, or possibly just empty space. Tenten neither knew nor cared. All that mattered was getting the pain to stop.

Naruto frowned, signaling his clones to hurry. Tenten was reacting more violently then he had anticipated, and now the whole room was on the verge of collapse. The clones had grabbed Tenten's detached leg, and prepared to lasso her up with it. That should render her immobile long enough to strike the final blow.

The clones threw the loop of the chain just as Tenten fired another blast at the floor. The stone could take no more, and collapsed in one great chunk; taking Tenten with it. Tenten's gasp of surprise, however, was cut off. The lasso, which had been about to tighten around her waist when she started to fall, now became a noose, which tightened severally around Tenten's metallic neck. Tenten was saved from falling into the abyss, but was now choking out.

Naruto waved to his clones to haul her up, but it looked like they'd be too late. Tenten scratched futilely at her own chain, her body twitching and spasming as she lost precious air. The fire at her core was dimming, becoming nothing more then an ember. By the time Naruto's clones had pulled her up, it had gone out entirely. Tenten now appeared as nothing more then a metallic husk, oddly cold to the touch.

Naruto clenched his fist; not on his watch. Leaping down from his hiding spot on the ceiling, Naruto pressed the amulet to her body, and prayed to Kami to save her. Slowly, light returned to the husk Tenten had become. But unlike before, this light was not the reddish orange of Hell's fire. No, instead it was the radiant light of Kami herself.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Tenten didn't know where she was. She knew she had been in pain, but now, she felt nothing. Perhaps she had been right all along; there really was no loving Kami coming to save her or her friends.

She blinked, there on the edge of the nothingness, was **light**! And it looked like it was growing. No, not growing, the light was simply speeding toward her. Before she knew it, Tenten was surrounded by the light. It embraced her, and Tenten felt like a child again, being held in her mother's arms. Looking up, she could almost make out a face in the light, smiling down at her. The face didn't speak to her, but it conveyed a message to Tenten all the same: It was time to wake up.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

A crack echoed across the destroyed room (Naruto seemed to leave a lot of rooms looking like that). Then another crack followed. Then another and another. The armored body that Tenten had so recently been a prisoner of, was breaking apart at the seams. But the holy light never faded. Neigh, it got brighter, until it was almost painful for Naruto to look upon it. Then, with a resounding sound like breaking glass, the body exploded into a million tiny shards, none of which struck Naruto.

The light finally began to fade, and as it did, it took on a more familiar shape. It was the shape of a human girl, and by the time the light had faded completely, Tenten lay before Naruto whole and pure once more.

Slowly, the weapons mistress opened her eyes. The first thing her eyes saw were the deep blue of her blond friend. Naruto smiled down at her,glad to see she didn't have any injuries. But then quick as a flash, Tenten sat up and wrapped her arms around Naruto, embracing him in a near back breaking hug. _**"Naruto… thank you. I'm so sorry for everything I said to you… you saved me…" **_Tenten said, her words all coming out in a rush. She held onto Naruto for dear life, as though afraid she might slip back into the abyss if she let him go.

After holding the girl for a while, Naruto finally pried her off him. They both had places to go. "Tenten, you know it's time for you to move on now" he told her.

Tenten in acceptance. She looked at him _**"Before I go Naruto, I have to make up for the trouble I caused" **_she said, moving away from him.

Normally Naruto would protest, but had learned over the course of this journey not to bother. If his friends wanted to give him something, which usually proved useful later down the line, who was he to stop them.

Tenten gathered the the chain that had been one of her legs; now all that was left of her demonic form. Closing her eyes in concentration the chain glowed, before making its way to Naruto. The chain coiled around the arm not baring Prayer Beads, before glowing even brighter. The chain seemed to heat up, though instead of being uncomfortable, Naruto felt perfectly fine. The chain melted, morning one glob of liquid metal. The metal quickly took shape as Tenten guided it, covering his entire arm from the tips of his fingers up to his shoulder. Soon, the glowing died down, showing that Naruto's arm was encased in a shining silver metal. Even though the metal looked thin, Naruto could tell already it was just as strong as the metal that had made up Tenten's body.

Tenten looked particularly pleased with herself, examining every detail of his arm with a keen eye _**"This cestus I made you serves two purposes" **_she told him, looking him in the eye _**"The first one is obvious: Your physical attacks with this arm will be devastating, of course. But it is the second ability that is in fact more impressive. This metal is made of the same metal that makes up all the coffins in Heresy. The metal is nigh indestructible, and can in fact repel most energy based attacks." **_she told her attentive listener. Naruto's eyes widened as he examined the glowing silver glove with even more respect. He had guessed at the first part, but to know he know had a powerful shield literally on hand was something else. Now he wouldn't have to rely on the Divine Shield to save him when things started to get ruff. He could block attacks with his indestructible arm, while returning fire with Kami's amulet.

Tenten spoke up again, interrupting his fantasies of badass-ness. _**"I would have given you more, but this is all I can risk without possibly turning you into an NRG." **_she said seriously.

"A what?" Naruto asked, confused as to what his weapon loving friend was talking about.

Tenten sighed _**"Have you seen any living suits of armor around here?" **_she asked him. Getting a nod Tenten continued _**"Those are the NRGs. It stands for 'Nether. Realm. Guards. When an atheist dies, they are confined in a coffin of fire, which burns as hotly as their passionate disbelief. But sometimes, I'm not sure if it's through sheer force of will, or if some darker power is at work, the soul refuses to be confined. The souls punishment fire burns so hot, that it starts to melt the metal in the coffin. The metal conforms around the soul, giving it human shape. But like everything here, nothing is ever what it seems. Even formed, the souls have nowhere to go, and nothing to do. The souls never believed in an after life, and are incapable of recognizing this place for what it is. Frankly, I'm not sure what they think this place is…" **_Tenten trailed off, before shaking her head and continuing _**"Anyway, the reason they're called 'guards' is because the higher demons often herded them towards important places, and then leave them there, hoping they could be used as a defense against intruders. Some of the magic users are able to implant simple orders in them, as they are basically blank slates, so it kinda worked. The things never left their posts. The only problem is that they don't seem very bright. As part of their very nature, they won't attack anything they can't personally see, hear, or feel for themselves. So unless someone is stupid enough to attack it head on, they're mostly harmless." **_she told him, not seeing the embarrassed look on Naruto's face as he thought back to how he had charged the first NRG he saw. _**"As such, the demons here have basically abandoned them. Any intruder just has to make sure not to touch them, and the NRGs generally won't attack. Some of them attack on sight, but those are much rarer. The demons can't destroy them without provoking an attack in return, so they basically just left them here, and try to ignore them." **_

Naruto nodded, taking it all in. "How do you know all that?" he asked Tenten.

She scratched her cheek as she thought about her response _**"When I was a demon… it was like I was connected to something greater. I knew the past, and the future…but I knew nothing of the present." **_she explained as best she could. _**"Though, now that I'm human again, that knowledge is gone from me, sorry" **_she said quickly, anticipating Naruto's next question.

Naruto sighed "That's alright, you know I don't believe in that destiny crap anyway" he told her, opening the Portal of Redemption. He loved talking to his friends, but he really needed to get a move on.

_**"I know Naruto, I know you'll be fine" **_Tenten said, a smile on her face as she stepped up to the portal. Stopping she turned back to Naruto _**"Hey… is Kami really a girl?" **_she asked, genuinely curious.

Naruto blinked "Um… yeah, when I met her, Kami was most definitely a girl…" he said, not sure where Tenten was going with this.

Tenten's grin just grew _**"Alright, chalk another point up for the girls!" **_she said, stepping through the gate. Tenten had always idolized Lady Tsunade for being a badass Kunoichi, so to hear that Kami, the most powerful of deities, was a woman… well, it certainly made Tenten's day.

Watching yet another of his eccentric friends disappear to paradise, Naruto turned. He really wasn't that surprised to see a door that hadn't been there before sitting innocently on the formerly blank wall across the room. Stretching the kinks out of his bones, Naruto walked through the door, ideally curious about what he'd have to fight next.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto walked down the hall, enjoying his momentary reprieve. Up ahead, he could see a round room awaiting him. Sighing, he took out his ninjato and stepped into it. A second later, a gate sealed off the passage behind him, trapping him in the room. Naruto rolled his eyes, like he hadn't seen that coming from the preverbal mile away.

At least the enemies were different he noted, taking in the two before him. They had some similar qualities; sunken in eyes, hunched backs, and gaunt expressions. But from there the differences became obvious.

The one on Naruto's left was closer, and had a mean look in his eyes. His skin was coal black, with white markings outlining every bone in his body. Huh, that sounded familiar. He wore only a tattered loin cloth, and some ratty looking sandals. Around his neck he word a necklace which bore a symbol of a circle with a triangle inside it. He was wielding a scythe, and his whole body shook, like he couldn't wait to launch himself into battle.

The other looked more corpse like, with skin stretched tight over the bone. The lips were gone, showing off unnaturally white teeth. He was garbed in a purple tattered robe, and he also wore a loin cloth. Unlike the other, he wore no footwear. Instead of a scythe, he was clutching a golden orb to his chest like a newborn child. Unlike his scythe wielding counter part, he seemed much less eager for battle. One other odd thing about him that got Naruto's attention, was that his whole body seemed shrouded in an unnatural black energy, not unlike his Kyubi cloak.

Naruto watched as the creature raised the orb, and call out _**"QWERTYUIOP"**_, which was followed by a blast of purple lightning. Naruto easily side stepped it, watching as it slammed into the barrier behind him. The scythe holder took the opportunity to charge, screaming at the top of his lungs _**"For Lord Jashin!" **_oh, so that's what struck Naruto as so familiar. This was one of those Jashin worshipers Shikamaru had told him about. So he was like the one that killed Asuma eh? Well, that told him a lot.

As the Jashin worshiper swung at him, Naruto parried expertly with his Ninjato, directing the blade downward into the ground. Before the heretic could pull the blade free, Naruto had decapitated him. _**"Lord Jashin, forgive me!" **_the head wailed as it bounced across the floor, the body flailing about uselessly. Oddly enough though, it didn't dissipate like the other demons had before it. Naruto frowned; would he need to destroy the whole body for this?

_**"ZXASCVEN!" **_oh, right there was another one to deal with. Naruto glanced at the ball holder, his eyes widening slightly as the Golden Orb glowed like a miniature sun. A second later, a powerful blast of energy flew straight at him. While his first instinct was to dodge, something inside him told him of a better solution. Glancing down the iron surrounding his arm, he shrugged. No better time to test it then here and now.

Just as the blast reached him, Naruto lashed out with his Cestus covered arm, fingers spread out in a catcher's stance. The energy hit the glove with enough force to push him back a few inches, but it did not break through. The orb holder seemed to grow paler, while Naruto just grinned. Gripping the energy in his hand, Naruto turned on his heel, and hurled it at the still standing body of the Jashinist. The energy scored a direct hit, and in a flash of light, the body was turned to ash. The head of the pain worshiper screamed in agony, before his eyes rolled up into his head and he started to foam at the mouth.

Seeing that the orb guy looked like he was gonna try another spell, Naruto decided to just end it. His Kama blade whipped out and grabbed the Jashinist's head and yanked it toward him. While it was still in the air, he delivered a kick that would have made Gai sensei proud to it. Spinning like a top, the head turned soccer ball flew foreword and smacked the orb guy right in the cranium. The man reeled back in surprise, so focused had he been on trying to conjure up an even more powerful spell. His arms jerked up, accidentally letting go of his precious orb, which went flying into the air. He did manage to catch the Jashinist head though. Before he could react to this new situation, Naruto fired three Prayer Beads at him. They pierced through the Jashinist head, and went on to strike the now orb-less guy in the chest. To finish it off, Naruto delivered the mother of all punches to the Jashinist's face with his Cestus. The fist, along with the head, kept going foreword, ending right in the other dead man's sternum. The poor guy was slammed into the wall, the head of his fellow attacker now lodged in his chest.

Naruto knew they were finished and started to walk away. Looking down, he grabbed the Golden Orb, wondering if this was something he could use on his journey.

_**"It will be useless to you… infidel…" **_he head a croaking wheezing voice come from behind him. Turning, he watched as the two that had attacked him started to dissolve. The creature that had used the orb was looking at him with glazed eyes, making Naruto wonder if he had just beat the shit out of some blind guy. _**"It can only be used, by those of the order of the Golden Orb" **_he said, even as his lower half turned to smoke and vanished.

"The order of the Golden Orb? Never heard of it." Naruto told him in his usual blunt way.

The man seemed to snicker at him, even as his head began to flicker. With a final cough he said _**"Welcome to the realm of the Pagans" **_and with that, he was gone. Naruto looked back at the Golden Orb, only to see it had turned brown and rusty. A moment later, it too had dissolved in his hand.

Pagans, huh? Well, it wouldn't be Hell if it was ever easy now would it? And with that cheery thought, Naruto walked forward.

_-Naruto In Hell- Pagens, huh? Well that's just-Hey! Why the Hell Won't You Stay Dead!  
_

The hall lead Naruto to a soul wall, which he proceeded to crawl across. He was briefly surprised when he noticed some of the walls had coffins embedded in them, which blew fire at odd intervals. Guessing when they would flare up stalled him for a bit, but he soon got past them.

The souls in the wall were a bunch of downers too, screaming things like 'the gods have forsaken me' and 'why must my flesh keep burning'. It was really distracting. Naruto wondered if his time in Hell was starting to desensitize him to horror and tragedy.

Landing, Naruto turned a corner, passed a statue of a woman in prayer, and found himself staring down the largest hallway he had ever seen. It looked like it went on forever, with massive doors lining the sides of the walls. On each door was a different symbol, each one distinct, and most unfamiliar. Only one symbol truly stood out amongst the others, and it was this door that swung open as Naruto walked passed. The door, unfortunately, bore the symbol of Jashin.

When the door opened, a flash of light filled the hall. Against the light, Naruto saw two figures approaching him, one of which seemed to have something large strapped to their back. Naruto could tell he wouldn't enjoy this encounter one bit.

_**"Hey piss ant! Are you ready to get your balls chopped off in the name of Lord Jashin?" **_

Yup. Not one bit.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Death had not diluted Hidan's arrogance any if the smirk on his face was anything to go by. His body seemed to be doing rather well for having been blown a part. His trademark three bladed scythe was now held firmly in his hand, and bloodlust shined in his eyes. It was clear, the man would like nothing more then to tear out his intestines and strangle him to death with them for his dark god.

But it was his companion that drew both the attention, and in fact a small amount of fear, from Naruto. The man was slightly taller the Hidan, with skin that was charcoal black. Instead of bones though, his skin was covered in hundred, perhaps thousands, of intricate tribal tattoos. They twisted and curved, and almost seemed to form coherent images before Naruto's eyes. The man's eyes were as black as his skin, which made the whites of his eyes stand out like stars. As Naruto stared into the two dark pools, it was like he was staring into an abyss. An abyss of madness the likes of which can never be escaped. But the worst thing was his aura. The man gave off only the feeling of pain, suffering, anguish, but most disturbing of all, pleasure. It was like the man reveled in pain, be it his own or others. He carried no weapon, but Naruto's gut told him that wouldn't be an issue for a guy like him.

Hidan saw Naruto looking at the man over his shoulder, and his grin grew even more insane, if that was possible. _**"This is him! This is one of the ones I was telling you about Lord Jashin!" **_Hidan said, awe in his eyes as he looked at his companion.

Naruto felt his blood go cold. Jashin? Hidan's god was real? Naruto clutched his Ninjato tightly. After all he had been through, he wasn't sure he was ready to take on a god.

What Hidan said next didn't help matters.

_**"My Lord, I beg of you, grant me my one wish. For my years of dedicated service to you, I ask you to smite this heathen! Please, show him your might trumps the power of his puny bitch Kami." **_Hidan asked, his eyes rolling in his sockets as he begged.

Jashin scratched his chin, eyeing Naruto with his inky pools. Sighing, he stepped forward. _**"Very well. Since you have served me so faithful until and beyond your dying day, I will grant you this request." **_his voice was deep and scratchy. It sounded immeasurably old, but spoke of untold experience. Naruto began to have an internal panic attack. This guy could obliterate him with a thought! What was he supposed to do!

Naruto's amulet grew warm, alerting him to its presence. Laying a hand on, though never taking his eyes off Jashin, Naruto felt the amulet speak to him, not in words, but in feelings. He felt himself grow calm, despite himself. He had nothing to fear from Jashin. As long as he had faith in Kami, the dark god would not touch him.

Jashin raised his right hand, an unseen energy gathering at his palm. _**"Now mortal child, thou shalt witness the wrath of a god. Look into my eyes. I wish to see the despair penetrate your very soul." **_Jashin spoke calmly, drawing Naruto to look into his eyes. This was Jashin's favorite part: when the mortal realized there was no hope, and that they were about to experience unimaginable suffering.

The dark god's eyes locked with Naruto's clear blue with hints of white. Around the boy, he saw the soul take shape around the body. The soul would tell him everything he needed to know about the child, and when he broke down from the fear. But what he saw was not what he expected.

The average pure soul was blue, with lighter versions being even purer. Evil souls were predominantly red, with darker reds meaning more evil. By now, the average soul would be riddled with cracks and fractures; both from his sheer presence, but also the the journey through Hell. What he got instead could be described as breathtaking. The soul was a blinding silver, bordering on white. There were blemishes on it, indicating that while pure of heart, the human wasn't perfect. Only Kami could boast a perfect soul at this point. The silver soul had no cracks or chinks in it, the boy must have had amazing will power. But the most amazing thing the dark god saw, was not on the boy's soul itself, but what stood **behind **it.

Several souls stood behind the boy's, watching over it; watching **him**. It was hard to tell the number, as they kept moving around, changing places, there eyes never veering from him, or the boy they stood behind. The largest souls were the most interesting. They stood much taller then the rest, and they reeked of power. Dead center behind the boy, in the center of the mass of souls, was a soul Jashin had hopped to look upon again, but at the same time, hated and feared more then any other. It was **her** soul. The pure as snow, unblemished, perfect soul of Kami herself. She stood vigilant behind her chosen, her spectral eyes boring into him, as though daring him to make a move against him. Who was this boy to invoke such protection from the almighty?

Regardless, now Jashin was stuck. He owed his servant one wish. That wish was to annihilate this boy in the most painful way possible. But the boy had Kami literally on his side. She may not directly interfere with him, but perhaps that was what the other souls were for? Either way, it looked like he'd be forced to make his decibel disappointed. Given the choice, there was no way he was going to kill someone so important to her. If the bitch wanted her boy toy to live so badly, fine.

Jashin had been staring at him for a while, making both Naruto and Hidan a bit concerned. Finally, Jashin lowered his hand, the power fading away. He blinked his eyes, before a frown graced his face. _**"I do not know what you are boy, but you should be most thankful. Your divine benefactor has saved you from my wrath. Count yourself lucky." **_Jashin said, before making to turn away.

Naruto almost collapsed to his knees in relief. Kami had saved him again. He didn't know how she did it, but she had, and that was all that mattered.

Hidan didn't share that opinion though, if the look on his face was anything. He looked like one might expect a five year old to look like, if someone told them Christmas had been canceled. Because Santa was dead. From crashing his slay into the ice cream man. Who had been delivering free treats and medicine to orphans on Christmas eve. Yeah, that was about right.

_**"But but, my Lord, why? What of my wish? After all I have done for you, do you not owe me this?" **_Hidan begged.

Jashin whirled around to face Hidan, his eyes glowing with power _**"Owe? OWE? You dare speak to me in such a manner, mortal whelp?" **_he growled low in his chest. Hidan's knees buckled as he dropped into a low bow. He begged forgiveness for his petulance. Jashin snorted, a mix of annoyance and amusement at the attitude of one of his more… exuberant followers. But the man was right. He had a wish to grant. But what was he to do? He growled in frustration. What made the boys so special, he didn't look like much to him. Hmm… a test perhaps. Yes…. that would do very nicely…

_**"Very well then, I have made my decision." **_He turned to Naruto, and the souls that only he could see. With a snap of his fingers, the entire area was surrounded in a ring of fire. He pointed at Naruto, trying to resist a sneer _**"You, chosen of Kami, will face my chosen in a fight to the death." **_he declared, before snapping his fingers in Hidan's direction.

Hidan jerked as his body was filled with power. His eyes widened, as he felt chakra and blood flow through him once more. His god had brought him back to life!

Lord Jashin turned to face him _**"Hidan, my faithful servant, I have given you back your mortal life. You now possess all the skills you possessed in life. But know that nothing so precious can be given for free. If you wish to keep your life, and return to the world above, you must best Kami's champion." **_

Jashin then turned to Naruto _**"Think of this as another test, child. If you fail, you have no one but yourself to blame. Your Kami cannot save you now. Should you manage to best Hidan, I shall grant you some small token; as compensation for your time." **_

Naruto gripped his ninjato nervously. If he recalled correctly, Hidan had been damned near immortal in life. But before he could succumb to nerves, the amulet by his side grew warm. He sensed love and faith for him. He also sensed agitation, but that seemed to be directed at Jashin. It seemed that Kami was annoyed at the dark god.

Shaking his head to get his mind off godly spats, he focused on his opponent, who was busy stretching out his new flesh and bones. Frankly, he didn't look that different to Naruto. But maybe being a specter felt different then being alive? Who knew.

Apparently Hidan did, if the look he had was anything to go by. Turning to Naruto, he tightened his grip on his scythe. _**"This is going to be fantastic. The only thing standing between me and rebirth is a brat like you?" **_Hidan threw his head back, laughing like a mad man. _**"This is going to be something to remember… Lord Jashin, I offer this humble sacrifice to you!" **_he cried out, turning to face the rather bored looking god. Naruto got the feeling that, if he could, Jashin would be rolling his eyes at his follower.

As soon as he thought that, Hidan charged at him, scythe already in mid swing. Naruto moved foreword to meet him. If he thought this was going to be an easy win, Naruto was determined to prove him wrong.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto deflected Hidan's scythe with his metal Cestus. He aimed a punch to the torso, only for his opponent to jump back out of range. Not deterred Naruto fired off a barrage of Prayer Beads. They struck him mostly on his left side, causing him to reel in pain.

Hidan roared in fury, tossing his scythe in a wide arch using the chain to guide it. Naruto ducked and rolled under the deadly projectile, even as his Mask shimmered with power. Focusing on Hidan, Naruto sought to pierce the mad monk's mind. Slipping in rather easily, Naruto was immediately bombarded with madness. Sacred chants, screamed curses, and vile rituals danced through Hidan's brain like an endless macabre parade.

Naruto flinched back, clothing his head in a vain attempt to block out the images that flashed through his brain. He only just regained his baring to see Hidan about to split him in half vertically with his scythe. At the last minute, he managed to raise his Ninjato up to block. Hidan wasn't giving up though, and was using his height advantage to push downwards on Naruto.

As the scythe got closer and closer, Naruto knew he had to act. Angling the blade just so, he focused and sent a burst of chakra through the blade. The ninjato tapped into the powers of the Kusanagi, and suddenly grew greatly in length. Hidan's years of training allowed him to dodge to an extent, saving his life. It couldn't save his ear though, which was what the blade did pierce.

Hidan had to keep himself from writhing in pain as the chakra that coated the blade destroyed what was left of his ear. Ignoring the pain, Hidan felt only the desire to pay back the brat for what he'd done. Taking a quick step back, he twisted his scythe, taking Naruto's sword with it. This put Naruto off balance as he struggled to keep a grip on his sword. Hidan leapt back and swung his scythe at Naruto throat. Naruto leaned back as far as his spine would allow. But it wasn't enough. Hidan's blade traced a thin line across Naruto's throat. It wasn't much, not nearly fatal. It was quickly healed by an application of holy chakra. But it had bled.

Naruto's eyes widened as he saw a tiny bit of his blood remain on the scythe. Hidan saw it too, and quickly licked it up. Now Naruto knew he had to hurry. He couldn't allow Hidan to complete his damnable ritual.

Hidan quickly traced the necessary pattern on the ground using chakra from his foot. But before he could step into the circle, Naruto leapt at him, kicking him in the chest with both feet. Hidan was knocked away from his circle, cursing up a storm.

From his belt, he pulled out a small pike like weapon. He normally used this in his rituals to stab himself, but he was desperate. With a flick of the wrist he sent it sailing for Naruto's eyeball. Naruto leaned out of the way, and Hidan threw his scythe low to the ground; his blade about to lop off Naruto's legs. Naruto was just able to stop it with his armored arm, the blade bouncing off with a clang. In the same movement, he threw his own Kama blade at Hidan. Naruto's luck proved better then Hidan's, as the blade wrapped around the silver haired man's leg. With a tug, the blade returned to him, but not before carving up Hidan's leg beyond recognition. It looked like his leg had gotten into a fight with a wood chipper.

Hidan cursed, his breathing ragged. He tugged on the chain that held his scythe, causing Naruto to dodge it as it went passed. But once Hidan caught the blade he stood up, and Naruto realized something horrible. While Hidan had kept him distracted with constant attacks, he had created a new circle. Even when his leg was nearly destroyed, he had burned the design of his god into the floor with chakra. Now, before his eyes Hidan's skin changed black as night, a skeleton like pattern forming over his skin. Naruto charged again, but Hidan was ready this time. He fended off Naruto's attack, before punching him in the face hard enough to send him flying back.

Hidan grinned _**"The ritual is complete, now the real fun can begin!" **_he called out, his eyes wide. He proceeded to stab himself in the leg. Naruto cried out as the same wound appeared on his own body. He quickly healed it with his amulet, only for a slash to show up on his stomach under his armor. Hidan was taking great pleasure in this, stabbing himself in non lethal areas again and again. Naruto tried to heal himself as fast as he could, but he couldn't keep up with Hidan's stabs.

But then something strange happened. The stabs started coming slower and slower. And then they just stopped all together. Naruto looked at Hidan, and was surprised to see a look of agony on his face. Parts of his body had faded from black to gray, and Hidan was shivering as though he had a bad fever.

Hidan lurched over, and emptied the contents of his stomach on the floor. It was all blood. His blood! Hidan couldn't understand what was happening. He had never encountered this in any of the rituals he had performed before. How was the brat doing this? Hidan knew he had to end this fight quick. If he could kill the brat, the Lord Jashin would heal him. Having tossed his only pike, he planned to use the spear-like end of his scythe. He tried to lift it, but the metal seemed to way a ton. His arms ached with every move he made. Just as he finished raising the spike, he lurched over again and vomited more blood. Wait! There, in the growing pool of his blood, was a splash of glowing silver. Hidan wasn't sure how he knew, but he was positive that bit of silver was the cause of his condition.

Behind him, Jashin sighed as he watched. He had to admit, Hidan was an excellent fighter. A pity he was going to die it seemed. _**"Oh dear, it's as I feared." **_he commented, getting the attention of the two fighters. He turned to Naruto, a smirk making its way across his face. _**"You really are Kami's chosen one… to have such an effect on one of my followers." **_he said, somewhat confusing both combatants. _**"A pure one… I haven't encountered one of those in quite a while. An aura so pure it burns away evil around it. It seems your blood carries this quality as well… fascinating." **_He turned to Hidan _**"You had best give up Hidan. Your power cannot harm one such as him. Give up now and I will be able to heal you" **_Jashin told his disciple.

Hidan looked conflicted, but then shook his head. _**No Lord Jashin! I know I can win! I will prove that your power is stronger then his power! I will not stop!" **_he cried out, forcing his body to move forward.

Lord Jashin merely raised an eyebrow, but shrugged _**"As you wish, Hidan. But know now that the consequences of your actions are your's alone to bare." **_he said ominously.

Naruto wasn't sure what had happened, he was just glad it had happened. With Hidan's jutsu over, and Jashin's speech, he had had time to heal his injuries. Seeing Hidan sluggishly run towards him, Naruto decided to just put the mad dog down.

Taking his medallion in one hand, he began to form a Rasengan of Holy Chakra with the other. Completing it quickly, he dashed toward Hidan; who hadn't ceased talking since Jashin had warned him to give up. He was ranting about how Jashin was superior to Kami. How he'd make his way back to the surface world, and slaughter a whole village in celebration. How he'd always wished he'd been a character on Bleach. How he would make Naruto's soul burn in everlasting fire as a tribute to Lord Jashin. How he would-

"Hey Hidan!" Naruto said, sliding under the man's clumsy swing. "Why don't you do us all a favor and" taking the Rasengan, he jammed into Hidan's open mouth "Shut The Fuck Up!" he roared twisting the the medallion as he forced the holy chakra ball to destabilize. Hidan's eyes widened, his brain barely able to register the immense pain he was feeling. A second later, Hidan's head exploded in a glorious fountain of blood.

Hidan's new physical body crumbled to dust, before being blows away entirely. Naruto was sure that would be the end of it. Turns out that wasn't true. Hidan suddenly reappeared, grasping his head as what looked like Holy chakra ate away at his flesh. It wasn't purification, like what Naruto might do. No, instead the pure chakra was simply eradicating (quite painfully by the looks of it) a very malevolent apparition from existence.

_**"Lord Jashin! Please! Help me!" **_Hidan screamed in agony, the Holy light spreading to more of Hidan's body. The scythe he had once wielded against the innocent rusted and corroded in his hand.

Lord Jashin shook his head, looking more bemused then upset. _**"I warned you, did I not, about the dangers of continuing that fight?" **_he said, as one might to a child. _**"Now look at you. Your soul is gonna get burnt up, and there's nothing you can do about it." **_he said, leering at the monk.

_**"Jashin, please, I beg you" **_Hidan sobbed, all self control gone at this point. His whole body was wreathed in shimmering white fire. The fire seemed to pause, as though it too waited for the dark god's response.

Jashin's grin only widened _**"I told you, you should have quite. I gave you that order. You ignored me, Hidan." **_Jashin said. One could argue that it had been more of a suggestion rather then a direct order, but hey, his followers, his rules. And one of those rules was: Jashin never makes suggestions. He give orders.

_**"I have no use for someone who cannot obey simple orders" **_Jashin said in a harsh whisper, even as Hidan whimpered in fear. The fire seemed to close in on Hidan as Jashin spoke his next words _**"I'm afraid this is where say goodbye Hidan. For good" **_

_**"Nooo!" **_Hidan screamed, both from the hurt his god's abandonment of him, as well as what the fire was doing to him. His skin burnt off, leaving him nothing but muscle. Then the fire took that too, reducing it not but ash. His eyeballs liquified, much to Naruto's disgust. Even though his nerves should be gone, Hidan continued to scream; even when he was only a skeleton. Soon, the fire consumed even that. His bones crackled and broke, as though under tremendous strain. Then, they shattered into a million tiny particles. It was only then that the scream finally started to fade away.

That done, Jashin turned away from the spot where Hidan had once been, and set his eyes on Naruto. _**"Now then, on to other business" **_

_-Naruto In Hell- A Gift from the God of Pain  
_

Naruto would never admit it, but standing across from Jashin worried him way more then the thought of fighting Hidan had. It looked to him as though Jashin was a rather fickle god, who's moods changed on a whim. Whose to say he wouldn't change his mind and decided to kill Naruto, even though he had already said he wouldn't?

_**"Boy," **_Jashin said, folding his arms _**"you have just killed one of my best followers" **_the god told him. Naruto was starting to sweat. But what Jashin said next surprised him _**"But he was also one of my most thick headed followers. I understand that you are on some sort of quest, mandated by Kami herself…" **_he trailed off, looking at Naruto for conformation. Naruto nodded, and Jashin continued. _**"In that case, I apologize for my foolish little follower. Please, allow me to present you with a token you may find useful on your journey" **_he said, reaching into thin air.

Naruto was confused. It seemed the god was planning to help him now. Okay, he guessed. It was way better then having to fight him.

Jashin grabbed a portion of air and pulled. From the air, something appeared. It was a knife. A bit long for a normal dagger, but shorter then his Ninjato. The handle was wrapped in snow white bandages. The blade itself was as black as a moonless night. It was a stark contrast to Naruto's white Ninjato.

Jashin raised his hand, and the dagger floated towards Naruto. _**"Behold child. This sacred Knife is imbued with my power; the power of the god of Pain." **_he said, making Naruto's eyes widen in awe. Jashin grinned _**"It's cool isn't it? I won it off that gluttonous bitch Shinigami in a game of mahjong" **_he said, totally ruining the mood. Naruto noticed that after his insult, Naruto was sure he heard a rumble of thunder above him.

As Naruto grasped the blade, he felt it grow warm in his hand. At his side, his Kami amulet did the same. They both started to give off chakra in small pulses. If Naruto didn't know better, he'd say they were communicating with one another.

Jashin just smirked at the items interaction _**"huh, looks like the old knife still has some of Shinigami's power after all. Your lucky brat, to have so many godly items given to you." **_Naruto could only nod dumbly. What had started out as a simple rescue mission was quickly turning into something… more.

"But… why? I thought you hated Kami? Why would you want to help me?" Naruto asked. Maybe he shouldn't, and just accept his good fortune. But one thing about Naruto, he always had to know why.

Jashin threw back his head and laughed _**"Hate Kami? Ha! Please boy, I owe that glowing cheery bitch to much to hate her!" **_he proclaimed. Naruto heard another clap of thunder in the distance, and the amulet seemed to heat up to almost uncomfortable levels.

_**"Let me ask you something, do you know where minor gods like me come from?" **_Jashin asked suddenly. Naruto shook his head. _**"Didn't think so. Unlike Kami or Shinigami, who've been around since the beginning, my kind, the minor gods, have only been around as long as human kind. We come into being when there are enough humans on earth who believe in us. Some of us are created by those who wish for a loving god, similar to Kami, but different in some way. Others are created by those who despise the idea of Kami, and wish to create something completely different." **_Jashin explained. For once, Naruto said nothing, known the was learning things no other human had ever heard. _**"Kami allows this, you see, because she allows all of her children freedom of choice. She could easily wipe the minor gods out in an instant if she wanted to, and kill those who believe in them, but she doesn't." **_Jashin got a funny look on his face as though he recalled something from the distant past _**"Although there was that time Lord Xenu went and tried to- but I digress" **_he shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. He turned to Naruto, his eyes suddenly becoming somewhat sad _**"It must be hard, I imagine, having your children not believe in you, or hate you, and having to live with it." **_he said softly. _**"Eventually though, all minor gods fade away into legend, before disappearing altogether. With no one left to believe in us, we become powerless, and start to vanish ourselves. But Kami won't allow that. She saves us, giving us enough energy to maintain a form. Then, she sets us up down here." **_he waved his hand around him. Naruto had to raise an eyebrow at that. Sending them to Hell was their idea of being saved? Jashin must have seen his look because he continued _**"We aren't tortured or anything like that. No, instead she has us look after the people who followed our religion, but weren't good people. The goods ones get sent to the Hall of Pagans, which we are allowed to visit. The truly vile humans get sent here, where we dish out punishment as we see fit. Almost all of my followers are down here, come to think of it…" **_Jashin trailed off at that. _**"Anyway, just think of that knife as my way of thanking the old bat for not casting us into the void." **_

Naruto nodded, somewhat floored by all he had learned. With Jashin's speech over though, his brain started to come back online. "But wait, what exactly does it do? I mean, you said it had yours and Shinigami's powers in it, but what does that mean?

Jashin smirked, and Naruto was starting to wish he hadn't asked. _**"Why don't you just go ahead and test it." **_he said snapping his fingers.

Suddenly, three fiends appeared 10 feet from Naruto. They looked confused at first, but that quickly gave way to their natural desire to kill.

Jashin looked at Naruto _**"Defend yourself boy, the dagger will show you the way!" **_he said, as the fiends charged at Naruto.

Naruto took the dagger in a reverse grip, and pumped chakra into it. As he did, everything seemed to slow down, even him. The world seemed to gray, and Naruto was sure he saw an ethereal ring expanding out from his being. The ring quickly past the fiends, which looked ridiculous running in slow motion. When it did, Naruto's body moved of its own accord, doing the one thing he hadn't expected: stabbing himself in the leg.

Naruto cried out in pain, which was much stronger then he would have thought. But then he saw a ripple travel through the air towards the fiends, even as the circle of energy that encompassed them stopped expanding. When the ripple met the ring, their was a flash of light. Then, the world returned to normal, and things started moving at regular speed. Only they would have, but suddenly the fiends all seemed to have massive stab wounds on their legs.

Naruto's eyes widened as he realized what Jashin had meant. This weapon allowed him to inflict damage to his enemies, by inflicting damage to himself. It was clear that the amount of damage he delta was equal to how much he was willing to take. **(If you're not quite understudying, it's like the Apple of Eden from AC: Brotherhood.)**

Jashin snapped his fingers again, making the crippled fiends vanish into smoke. It was clear from the boys expression that he understood his power. Now, for the bad news _**"Be warned child" **_he said, getting Naruto's attention. The boy was busy trying to heal the wound to his leg. _**"That dagger will allow you to inflict wounds to your enemies, using yourself as a conduit, but be warned. I would advise against attempting mortal wounds, as your blessed magic will not allow you to heal yourself in time before you pass." **_he said solemnly. Naruto nodded hastily. Got it, no instant kill moves. Suddenly Jashin's tone became much less serious _**"However, if you'd like to join my little religion, I'm sure I can set you up with my patented brand of immortality in exchange…?" **_he asked.

Naruto took a few hasty steps back, shaking his head "No thank you. I'm happy with Kami" he said.

Jashin shrugged _**"Cant' blame me for trying. Your soul is quite a catch boy" **_he said, walking back towards his door. _**"Good luck kid, you're gonna need it." **_he called over his shoulder. He stopped, and turned to face Naruto one last time _**"You know how to run really really fast right?" **_he asked.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the left field question. "Uh, I guess so. Why?" he asked suspiciously. What was that dark god up to now?

Jashin just chuckled. It was clear that whatever he knew, he wasn't telling. _**"No reason kid" **_he said, looking off into the distance _**"No reason at all" **_

And with that oddly ominous statement, the god of pain vanished into thin air. The door to his sector slammed shut. Naruto, mentally tired by his little chat with the god, and the fight with the now gone Hidan, turned and continued on his path. Somehow, he knew it was going to get worse before it got better.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The long hallway of pagan gods eventually just ended in a massive drop into space. Luckily, Naruto spotted a bit of climbable wall that he used to scale down and across the seemingly endless chasm. This time there were no flaming coffins, so Naruto counted that as good fortune.

Eventually, Naruto got to a ledge, but as he was about to pull himself up, something did it for him. It was one of Kyubi's tails, which quickly dragged him bodily to to hang before her semitransparent body.

_"You live" _Kyubi said, heaving a great sigh. _"I sensed the dark god Jashin appear from his realm before you, and I began to fear the worst" _she told him. Naruto was actually rather touched that Kyubi cared about his safety. Granted, it was likely because if he died, she would never get her reward, but he'd take what he could get.

Kyubi set him down, allowing Naruto to steady himself. _"In this part of Hell, the first atheist, and all his followers who make the soul die with the body, have their burial place" _she told him.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow "I already know that" he said, catching the Kyubi off guard.

_"I- what?" _she stuttered intelligently.

"Yeah, I already had a run in with some of the NRGs, and met Tenten with the other atheists." he told her. "So, instead of that Kyubi, could you just tell me what sins I haven't seen here yet?"

Kyubi looked at him, then huffed. The one time she was going to give him relevant information, the brat told her he already had it! The nerve. Well, fine, _"Be patient. When you stand before the radiant one, you will know your life's journey." _she told him cryptically. Then she stuck her tongue out at him, and vanished into tiny sparking lights.

"Well" Naruto said, glancing at where she had been standing "that was unhelpful". He hadn't expected an ancient demon to behave like such a child. Huh, maybe he should have at this point.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Running through the endless series of halls, Naruto found one that had been partially blown apart by Kami's light. Just being near it filled Naruto with inner strength. He could feel is amulet pulsing too, as though it sensed a similar power. Taking it out, Naruto pointed it at the next door blocking his path, and let loose a blast. As he thought, a powerful beam shot out, decimating the door. But as the smoke cleared, Naruto saw a figure standing up from the rubble. Turning to face him, Naruto saw the massive form of an NRG. By the glowing of its faceplate, Naruto was gonna take a guess and say it wasn't friendly.

In such a narrow hall, Naruto didn't think he'd be able to pull of an easy victory against the indestructible creature. Therefore he did the one thing Naruto wasn't particularly well know for doing in battle. He ran like hell. Adding chakra to his limbs Naruto leapt over the NRG, landed on the other side of it, and took off down the hall. He was hoping that would be the end of it, but from the rapid thunks he heard behind him, it looked like he was in for one heck of a chase. That thought made Naruto smirk. He had been able to lead his village's ANBU on goose chases for hours when was twelve. Some tin man should be a piece of cake right?

-10 minutes later-

Naruto hated his life right now. Really he did. After ten minutes of running, he was now hopelessly lost. And the NRG was **still** following him! Geez that thing could hold a grudge. It probably didn't help that he'd tried to use shadow clones to slow it down. They had lasted all of three seconds, before the thing just barreled through them.

But the worst was yet to come. Somehow, don't ask him how, he had managed to run into two more of the damn things; which, like their buddy, where now chasing him down these never ending hallways.

At least he had larded some things from his experiences. He had made sure to avoid any room that was large and circular. Why? Because every time he went into a large circular room, he ended up in a life or death battle with a super-powered foe. That said, he'd been doing very well so far.

Finally, he entered into a strange large room. Half of the room was much higher then the other half. Naruto was currently on the low half. The two sides weren't connected. Instead, their was just a drop from high to low. And on the part where the two were connected, a line of those firry coffins were lined up.

Seeing an opportunity, Naruto leapt the eight feet and landed on the high ground, ready to run through the door on the opposite side. Only to find two more NRGs walking toward him. How did those things keep finding him? Hearing a rumble, Naruto turned and saw that the three NRGs chasing him had closed the door behind them. And a quick check showed that the ones in front had done the same. Something wasn't right here. These things weren't supposed to be intelligent. Naruto cast a quick look around. He was surrounded, and there were no other exits. Fine, if that was how they wanted to play it, he'd do this the hard way.

Suddenly, his amulet grew warm, compelling Naruto to pick it up. He grabbed it with his Cestus hand, which resulted in a blinding light that gave the NRGs pause. Naruto felt a power similar to that of the Divine Shield merging with his gauntlet. The metal on his palm seemed to give way, allowing the amulet to touch flesh. When it did, the metal moved back in, locking the medallion in place. When the light faded, the metal was now pure white, as opposed to the silver it had been. If possible, the arm felt even stronger then it had before. It exuded an aura that reminded him of Kami herself. If he had to put it into words, he'd say it was like Kami had taken his side, and was ready to defend him.

Before Naruto could understand exactly why this had suddenly happened, one of the NRGs got impatient. It fired a beam of destruction that raced for Naruto like the wind. In pure reflex Naruto raised his hand in defense of himself.

The beam struck the arm, and to the shock of Naruto reflected right off, hitting the NRG standing next to the shooter. A hole was blown through it's chest. With a great shriek, the burning soul trapped within escaped, flying upward. The now lifeless metal collapsed a smoldering heap.

Naruto blinked in surprise. That NRGs beam had killed one of its' own; so why hadn't it burnt through his metal arm, which was made of the same material. Looking down, Naruto felt the metal pulse, and could almost feel the medallion give off a pulse of happiness. Naruto's eyes widened in realization. Kami had realized what might have happened it seemed. She had combined the Divine Shield with the NRG Cestus, creating a shield even stronger then the so-called 'unbreakable armor' of the NRGs. Naruto felt himself smirk. Even in Hell, he was breaking all expectations.

The NRG that had shot at him seemed to pause in confusion. Clearly, it was not used to things surviving it's attacks. Giving what could pass for a shrug, the NRG tried again. But this time, Naruto was ready. Swinging his arm around just as the blast him, Naruto literally punched the beam back at the NRG. The thing's head disintegrated, allowing the trapped soul to escape. Naruto turned around, hearing the armor slump to the ground behind him. He cracked his knuckles menacingly as he looked at the remaining NRGs. Two down, three to go. Damn he was good.

One of the remaining NRGs decided to try hand to hand combat, and charged Naruto, fist mid swing. Luckily Naruto's smaller size gave him a speed advantage, allowing him to easily dodge the clumsy swipe. Quickly stepping under it's guard, Naruto rammed his metal fist into the NRGs' stomach. He was rewarded with a slight dent, but not much else. Darn, he was hoping he'd be able to punch his way through these guys.

Hearing one of the others moving behind him to flank him, Naruto's shinobi instincts took over for a second. His hand flew to his belt, grabbing his new Dagger. With a motion that came from years of training, Naruto threw the dagger at the place where a normal person's heart should be. It was only after he let go that he realized his mistake. The dagger was used by harming him to harm his enemies. There was no way it would work on beings with no real-

To the surprise of just about everyone, the Dagger pierced the NRG's chest, planting itself right where a heart should lay in a normal person. The NRG seemed to struggle for a moment, as though it was losing control of its body, before it suddenly just stopped. It's body was now motionless, its hand reaching forward.

Giving another power punch to the armor in front of him, Naruto sent it stumbling back. When it did, he turned and leapt at the frozen NRG. As Naruto wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the blade, he could feel the power that thrummed and writhed beneath it. Naruto gave a sharp tug, and was surprised that he felt some resistance; as though something on the other end was trying desperately to keep him from removing his dagger.

Behind him, the NRG he had punched had regained it's bearings, and it didn't seem happy. Thrusting its face in his direction, Naruto felt the the heated energy head straight for him. Twirling around while keeping a hold of the dagger was tricky, but Naruto managed. His metal fist connected with the beam, resulting in a pulse that made Naruto's hair stand on end and his teeth rattle. It also made the beam fly straight at the only NRG that had yet to make a move. The creature payed for that by having a gaping hole blasted through its chest.

Naruto, knowing it was time to move, gave the dagger one last yank, popping it free from the metal case. But it didn't come alone. As the dagger was drawn from the metal, a burning soul came with it. It screamed in agony as it tried to pry the dagger out of it, put it was no use. Naruto watched, stunned, as the soul was forcibly pulled into the dagger. It was not unlike when his clones had tried to seal the werewolves in his Gourd. But unlike the clones and their Gourds, Naruto's dagger seemed to need no more help from him. With a last pitiful cry, the soul was drawn completely into the dagger. The armor, now vacant, collapsed in a heap; it's body starting to rust and decay before Naruto's very eyes.

Hearing clanking footsteps, Naruto turned to see the NRG. It was backing away slowly, as though the soul buried deep at it's burning core understood what Naruto had done to its brethren. It looked like it was about to power up another beam, but Naruto was much quicker. Now knowing what Jashin had meant by it possessing the powers of Shinigami, Naruto let the dagger fly without fear.

The dagger lodged in the head with enough force to make the neck snap back. Naruto half expected a beam to be shot at the ceiling; but like before, the armor froze as soon as the knife broke the armor. A simple tug and a scream later, and the last armor dropped.

Naruto sighed as he put the Dagger back on his belt. With a pulse of energy, he felt the amulet de-merge with his hand. Naruto frowned, he kind of liked having an unbeatable arm. Oh well, maybe that was for the best. He really didn't need to start getting a big head. Now it was time to leave this room before anything else happened here.

_**"An excellent performance Naruto. But then again, you were always Destiny's favorite." **_

Kami damn it.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

_Earlier: _

Orochimaru's snake like eyes roamed over the area. He had reached his destination. The room was desolate, for no demon would ever dare to come here. He himself would likely never venture near this place, but for the time being he had no choice.

Reaching the center of the room, Orochimaru began channeling chakra through his feet into the ruins beneath him. Slowly but surely, a intricately carved circle faded into existence around him. From there, Orochimaru began the long sequence of six hundred sixty six hand seals.

A long while later (at least long enough for Naruto to defeat both Tenten and Hidan), he was finished. As the last seal was completed, he felt his body collapse into the center of the circle. The entire room shuttered from the power he had awoken, as did the entire sector the building was located in.

Directly below the pentagram, nine eyes opened. They were filled with power, and one purpose for that power: Kill Naruto Uzumaki.

_-Naruto In Hell- A Destined Encounter  
_

Naruto looked upon the man who in life had been Neji Hyuga. At least Naruto assumed it was Neji Hyuga. It had his lithe almost feminine figure. His long flowing black hair. And it had his piercing white eyes that seemed to bore into you. All over his body.

Yes, that was the one big thing that separated normal Neji from this new demonic Neji. This Neji was covered in Byakugan eyes. They were on his arms, his hands and even his torso. They could be on his legs, but thankfully, Neji had chosen to continue wearing the same pants he'd worn in life. His face had the fewest eyeballs, with the two normal ones, and one directly in the center of his forehead. This eye had replaced the hated seal on his forehead that had so haunted Neji throughout his life. Only some of the eyes were focused on Naruto; the others flitting about the room, taking in every detail, while others merely gazed off into the distance.

His skin was also strange. When he had first stepped from the shadows, his skin had been a dark grey. Then it had slowly shifted into an olive green, before fading into porcelain white.

Naruto sighed, getting his Ninjato ready. After everything that had happened, he was starting to realize that none of his friends would just let him help them. So far, only Hinata had been that way. Why couldn't more of these encounters be like that one? Did they all have to end in violence?

Neji chuckled _**"Alas Naruto, I'm afraid that from this point foreword, the answer is yes." **_he said, making Naruto go wide eyed. Before he could ask though, Neji had settled into his Gentle Fist stance. _**"Take heart though, as this does not come of my own volition" **_he spoke again, as he and Naruto started to circle each other wearily.

"Then why?" Naruto asked simply, chakra ready to be channeled into any of his powers.

Neji frowned _**"Despite what you may have first believe, my life of servitude did not end with my death"**_ he said sullenly, and Naruto felt his eye subconsciously drift up to Neji's forehead. _**"The only thing that change for me, was that I am now forced to serve a new master" **_Naruto wondered just who this person was, and where to find them. They had better hope he never did find them, or there would be Hell to pay, no pun intended.

Neji suddenly chuckled again _**"Though I must say, aside from continued slavery, there are some perks to my new life" **_Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering just how crazy Neji really was. His face must have said something to that effect, because Neji continued _**"These eyes of mine can see more then just you Naruto. They are far stronger then that. With them, I am able to pierce the veil of space and time itself. I can see anyplace and time I desire. I can see the past and the future of all living things" **_suddenly all of Neji's eyes locked on to Naruto, making him distinctly uncomfortable. _**"You lied to me that day Uzumaki" **_Neji growled out _**"Fate does indeed exist! I have seen the fate of many people, and no matter how they wish to avoid it, it is inevitable!" **_

Naruto sighed "Are you really on this fate thing again?" he asked "I told you, I make my own path, that's my ninja way! And not just me, anyone can do it-"

Neji cut him off _**"Fool! Cling no more to your hollow lies! The life of the commoner is written in stone, and cannot be altered. What happened to our village, the end of the war, all of it; preordained! My eyes have seen it! Nothing we did could have prevented Armageddon from befalling us!" **_he ranted, his fists balling up, and his head bowed.

Naruto knew he should probably attack, but what Neji said really was shaking him up. Was it true? Was what happened always going to happen? He shook his head. No. What happened was horrible, but it was not something that could not have been prevented. Besides, focusing on the past never had good results. It was generally best to focus on the future.

_**"There is one though…" **_Neji muttered, so softly Naruto wondered if he had imagined it. _**"Who's fate I cannot see…" **_Neji's gaze snapped up to glare at Naruto once more _**"Who even now, eludes my eyes as they search the timeline for him!" **_Neji finally lost control _**"Why are you not there, Naruto Uzumaki? Why can my eyes of fate not see into your future? Who are you, to be so special, that fate itself has no grasp on you? Why you? Why are you so special?" **_Neji screamed at Naruto, at the heavens, at everyone and everything. His habit of burying his emotions would no longer work, and now those repressed emotions were coming to bare fruit.

Naruto walked forward, ready to comfort his friend. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe this was all he would have to deal with from Neji? Now all he needed to do was come up with one of his speeches to bring Neji out of his funk.

Of course, immediately after thinking that, Naruto chastised himself. That kind of thinking could jinx it, which would result in another battle. At that moment, Naruto was sure he could smell the stink of sulfur.

_**"Unless…" **_oh no _**"My eyes cannot see your future because… " **_Neji looked up, the eyes on his face wide in a mad epiphany _**"You have no future!" **_oh boy, here it comes _**"And if you have no future, then it must be because… I kill you here!" **_and there it was, Neji had just jumped the mental tracks.

_**"Yes of course, it all makes sense" **_Neji muttered insanely _**"Forgive me Naruto for my out burst! I did not realize…" **_Neji shook his head as though listening to a conversation only he could hear _**"but enough of that! I am under orders, as much as I loath them." **_Neji once again settled into his stance _**"I'm afraid Naruto that this is where you die. And this time, my victory really is preordained" **_Neji told him simply.

Naruto smirked, his Ninjato suddenly blazing with chakra. "We'll see Neji. We'll see." and with that simple statement, the two charged, both sure of their victory.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto growled in frustration as his Kama blade sliced through empty space. So far, every attack had been almost effortlessly been evaded by Neji. But it wasn't due to sheer speed, because Naruto was using chakra to keep up with Neji. So what was it?

Neji smirked as he thrust his palm foreword, releasing a blast of chakra _**"While my eyes may not be able to see into your distant future, Naruto, they can still see into the immediate future. I can see you swinging the blade at my flesh moments before it happens, allowing me to avoid it. As long as I do not attempt to gaze into your ultimate destiny, my Eyes of Fate will not fail to serve me" **_Neji offered smugly.

Great, an opponent who could read his moves like they could see the future. It was like fighting a damn Uchiha all over again. He tried to think of a way to counter that, and he did manage to come up with a few. Now to see if any of them panned out.

Neji thrust his palm foreword, an energy burst slamming into Naruto's hastily raised Ninjato. The blast pushed him back until he slammed into the wall. Before he could recover, Neji was already coming at him. Sending as much chakra as he could at that moment down his sword arm, Naruto increased his muscle speed to superhuman levels.

He sliced upwards at Neji's oncoming arm. Neji saw this, and was already moving his arm out of the way. But Naruto's new speed allowed him to overcome Neji's sight, meaning that Neji would take a hit to the arm. Neji expelled chakra from every point on his arm, hoping to blunt the damage. It worked partially, slowing the sword enough that Neji didn't lose an arm. Naruto was able to leave a sizable gash on it though.

Even as Neji jumped back, Naruto smirked. Just like the Sharingan, Neji's future sight was worthless if he couldn't do anything about it. Naruto raised his nonmetal arm and fired off his Prayer Beads. Enhanced by his chakra, they flew like the wind, golden streaks of light heading for Neji's skull. But Neji had anticipated that, and was already using his Rotation to defend. Naruto knew he would, he just needed more time to think. He now knew that increasing his speed would work, but that was taxing on the reserves. Now it was time to see how the second option panned out.

Making a familiar cross, a horde of Shadow clones burst into existence. As one, they charged Neji, Ninjato's drawn. Naruto hopped that by making so many clones, Neji wouldn't be able to predict all of the incoming moves.

But Neji didn't need to. He had know Naruto was going to make clones the moment he started his Rotation. Skidding to a stop, he took note of all the clones around him. Smirking, he closed the eyes on his face, followed by the ones on his body. With each eye he closed, his skin seemed to be becoming lighter and lighter. Before Naruto knew what had happened, Neji had closed his last eye, and vanished completely.

Naruto's clones tried to sense him, and even tried attack the spot where he had recently stood. It did no good, for they could find no trace of him.

_**"They are within my field of divination" **_he said coldly, his voice echoing around the room. In the blink of an eye, he stood before two clones. The fist clone lunged at him, determined to go out giving it's creator time. Neji slipped under his guard, striking both the attacking clone, and the one standing next to it. Both popped as their forms were disrupted by the attack.

_**"Two down" **_Neji said, his tone mocking, fading out of view again. Even as he spoke, he was still moving, faster then the Naruto's had excepted. With so many of them together, they couldn't move as quickly as they might have. This made them easy prey.

_**"Four down" **_another two clones died as Neji's fingers pierced their brains.

_**"Eight down" **_

_**"Sixteen-" **_Neji was cut off as the rest of the clones jumped back, and the pale eyed boy was struck from the side with a cloud of lightning. He tried to dodge as he sensed another attack coming, but ran into a slight problem. Uzumaki was flooding the whole room with lightning. It did him know good to know the attack was coming if there was nothing he could do about it!

Naruto had watched as Neji had mutilated his squad of clones. He had charged up a Divine Tempest with additional holy chakra, enough to make it last longer, and expand farther from his body. Then, with he felt that Neji was absorbed enough in attacking his clones, he gave a great heave. With a pulse, the lightning flew from his body, striking Neji as it passed over him. But before he could recover, he sent a second pulse. It was almost comical the way Neji's hair stood on end as the lightning went through him.

Neji would scream in agony, had his jaw muscles been working properly. As it were, he settled for quietly seething. From his anger came power. It flowed through him, into eyes. All of them. Slowly, each eye turned blood red. They exuded an energy that kept the lightning from reaching him. Naruto saw this, and tried adding power to his attacks. It didn't work. Like a demonic version of his Divine Shield, the red energy encompassed Neji, providing a far better defense then his Rotation ever had or could.

_**"Enough!" **_Neji roared, his arms flung wide. The energy followed his movements, expanding outwards like Naruto had done with his lightning. The power burned Naruto's exposed skin and flung him backwards. He hit the wall hard, dropping his Ninjato.

Naruto watched, horrified, as Neji stood, a grim smile on his face. He took a step foreword, the red energy around him burning the ground with each step. It corroded at his touch, as though aged a hundred thousand years in a single second. Neji reached out his hand, and Naruto knew he intended to do the same to him.

_**"This is it Naruto. The end of the line" **_Neji said, taking another shaky step toward him. They eyes on Neji pulsed, which was followed by a tendril of energy lashing out and knocking the Ninjato out of reach. Being made by Kami herself, the metal did not corrode. _**"No more talking, no more speeches about how you can save everyone. Because it's a lie. You can't save everyone, Naruto. Some people don't want to be saved, some people shouldn't be saved." **_Neji said simply.

Naruto struggled against the force of Neji's new aura pushing down on him. He grabbed the closest thing he could: the Dagger.

Neji looked at Naruto, but he didn't really see Naruto. He was so obsessed with looking back; at everything that had lead up to this moment, of everything **he** would have done differently to change the outcome. Hindsight is twenty-twenty after all. _**"Just think" **_he whispered, his gaze on a time and place far from this lonely room in the Inferno. Away from Naruto slowly pushing energy into the Dagger. _**"If you had just killed the Uchiha on any of the numerous occasions you had the opportunity, perhaps things wouldn't have gotten so bad. He was the catalyst you know. The beginning of when things started to go pear shaped." **_Neji ranted, his body on autopilot, taking another step closer to Naruto. Neji was now close enough, that it would take no effort at all to touch him.

Neji's eyes locked with Naruto's. The blonde found himself shocked to see tears trailing down the older boy's face. _**"It's not fair you know. What they did to you Naruto. So much responsibility. So much you had to do then. So much you have to do now." **_he giggled, his mind clearly not all there. Neji might have won this battle, had he not been so emotionally conflicted. Naruto had always had that effect on him, bringing out emotions the normally reserved Hyuga kept hidden. The new demon part of him wanted to execute Naruto. The old, human him wanted to help him, and tell him what he desperately needed to know. As the two sides warred for dominance, he lost focus of the present, sending his mind spiraling into the past and future. And like all things, this had a consequence.

Neji had taxed his powers beyond the limit, looking too far into both past and future. The human mind couldn't take the strain of millenniums. At least not for very long. And no matter what may have been said about Neji now, then, or later, he was; at his very core, a human being. And that was why he let Naruto do what he did next.

Naruto saw that Neji was clearly having an emotional crisis. He surprised his natural instinct to comfort, and took action. With Neji so close, he didn't need to use a lot of energy for this next part. With a stab and slash, Naruto carved a bloody trench in his flesh from right shoulder to left hip. Taking the blade out and ignoring the white hot pain that went through him as he used the blades powers, he slashed himself again in the opposite direction.

Neji reeled back, screeching in agony. When the marks had appeared on his body, they had also gone right through the Byakugans he had on his chest. Five eyes were blinded, blood flowing now in place of tears. But with them gone, so too was the energy they exuded. Neji's torso was now mostly bare of any protective shield. The pressure on Naruto had also lessened somewhat, allowing him to move more freely. He used this newfound freedom to pull back his metal arm, and throw the strongest punch he could managed at his former friend.

The blow struck dead center in the chest. Neji's whole body rippled with the force of the strike, and for a brief moment Neji's heart seemed to stop. The sternum was cracked, even as the force sent Neji flying backwards. The 'all-seeing' teen struck the wall on the opposite side of the room hard enough to make the whole room shake. As one, the remaining eyes on Neji's body winked shut, the malevolent energy dissipating. The eyes on his head rolled backwards, and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Naruto sighed, already using the amulet to heal himself. He had to say, all things considered, that fight had gone relatively well. Rolling his shoulders, he made his way to Neji to begin the healing process.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As the magic of Kami's amulet washed over him, the eyes on Neji's body faded away, not so much as a scar to show that they had once been there. Finally, there was only the eye on Neji's forehead. As Naruto added a pulse of magic to send it away, Neji's eyes snapped open. Before Naruto could move, he had grabbed his flesh hand's wrist in a vice like grip.

_**"You must know!" **_he cried, before the eye on his forehead pulsed like a beating heart. When it did, Naruto found himself compelled to look into it. As he stared, he felt himself being drawn in deeper and deeper. All around him, the world seemed to fade away, as Neji used the last of his time gazing abilities to show Naruto a fraction of an important event:

_-Naruto In Hell-_

_A figure stood in the midst of a vast desert. The figured sensed that its prey was near. After killing the ox, it had ascended to the next circle. Suddenly, in the distance, a large beetle crawled across the sands. It did not notice its hunter. With a smirk, the figure vanished in a flash of blinding speed. In a moment, it was under the insect. Before the creature had a chance to sense its attacker properly, the figure leapt straight up, tearing through the hard shell, destroying the inside, before exiting straight through the spine. The insect roared out in pain, but a burst of energy from the figure silenced its cries. Landing on the carcass. The figure grinned as energy flowed into it. The list of targets had again been narrowed. Two down, seven to go. _

_The scene changed, becoming the tallest tower in the City of Dis. There, a massive slug saw and watched over the infernal city. Suddenly, the slug sat upright, as it turned its massive neck in the direction of the outskirts of the city. Something was flying towards it, and the slug tried to form a protective barrier of chakra around it. It was too late though, as the thing slammed into its midsection, entering its body. The slug began to writhe in pain, as its very skin began to boil away. Then, in a massive explosion, the slug disintegrated. In the center of the destruction, the figure stood, licking bloody lips and savoring the destruction. _

_The massive horse like creature gazed out over a massive swamp. In the distance, it could see a flock of Fallen hunting a pack of werewolves. The entire area stank of hate, blanketing the entire circle in its stench. Perhaps that was why the horse never sensed the figure approaching before it was too late. Later, the Fallen would fly by the area, and find it covered in bloody remains. _

_Pinwheeled eyes gazed out over a frozen landscape. Soon…. soon the plan would be complete. Soon… _

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto jerked back, the visions fading. The eye on Neji's forehead vanished in a swirl of holy energy, leaving Neji whole and pure once more.

"What the hell was that!" Naruto demanded once he had sat up.

_**"I am not sure" **_Neji responded. Thanks to the healing powers of Naruto's amulet, his body had returned to its pre-Inferno state. _**"That vision was for you and you alone Naruto. Now that I am healed, I no longer can see the strands of time" **_

Naruto frowned slightly. It was just like when the Plutus had given him a vision. Only this was different, it was more controlled, and linear. This bore some thinking. Later. Right now he had to make sure Neji was ready to leave this place.

Facing Neji again, he saw that the older boy was bowing, his forehead pressed to the floor. _**"Once again Naruto, you have saved me from myself. I can never repay you Naruto, for freeing me" **_

Naruto grinned sheepishly, still not used to such praise. Opening the Portal of Redemption, he decided to just go with it. "Don't worry about it Neji, I'm sure you would have done the same for me" he said, getting the Hyuga to stand up. "And trust me, it's only gonna get better from here" he said, grinning at Neji's confused look. "Just trust me" he said. Neji nodded. After everything that had happened, he would trust Naruto Uzumaki with his life.

Stepping forward, he bowed one last time _**"Take care Naruto. I wish you the best of luck. Should you need any assistance, do not hesitate to ask." **_he said, before turning and walking through the portal.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Neji was surrounded by a white light, brighter then anything he had ever seen. But somehow, it didn't hurt his eyes at all. He felt himself being pulled upwards, his body as light as a feather. And as drifted there, he felt his heart swell, as a lifetime of internal suffering eased away. He had never felt so… so… free. He could practically feel wings on his back, as the cage that had held him down shattered into a million pieces. The caged bird could finally fly. And it was all because of Naruto.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Seeing the Portal close, Naruto was filled with a renewed sense of purpose. It was good to be able to help his friends. Another one had been freed, sent on to the after life they deserved. Now it was time to keep marching forward. Turning, he wasn't surprised to see the doors opening. Walking through them, Naruto prepared himself for his next challenge.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto took a whole ten steps before he heard the muttering this time. Sighing, he decided that at least this was better then being locked in a life or death struggle.

Locating the shade, he instantly knew he wouldn't be needing the amulet for this one. "Amachi"

The cruel scientist from Sea Country was sprawled before him. Parts of his body were still covered in scales, reflecting the horrible experiments he had committed on his own body. _"Are you not pleased Orochimaru? Master Orochimaru, where are you?" _he muttered to himself repeatedly. Naruto frowned. Even in death, the bastard hadn't stopped trying to to associate with Orochimaru.

With a flick of his wrist, the Ninjato pierced the man's heart and set him ablaze. With a final cry of _"Lord Orochimaru, save me!" _the man who had ruined the life of one sweet innocent girl, Isaribi, among possibly many others, was vaporized.

"Abomination" Naruto remarked darkly, walking away from the pile of ashes.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The next room Naruto entered, after leaping over a few rivers of lava, was one that contained a simple puzzle. Naruto hated puzzles. They were more Shikamaru's thing then his. He was good at thinking up things on the fly for fights and battles, not… this.

That was what lead to him standing still and thinking for nearly fifteen minutes trying to figure out the puzzle before him. He eventually figured it out, but he had no idea why he had felt compelled to come here. All he had done was raise up a big statue slightly, making its head go into Kami's beam of light. This made the statue's head explode, but other then that…. He had shoved a block under a lever, which he was pretty sure was the point of the exercise, but it seemed… dumb.

Suddenly he head a clanking noise and, looking over the side of the ledge that took up one whole side of the room, he saw that a door had just opened. Maybe that was what the puzzle had done.

Now, he could run all the way down there, facing any creature he came across. Or he could do it the ninja way, and just jump down there. Gee….

_-Naruto In Hell-_

That door had lead him to some soul walls, which he climbed down and across, taking care to avoid the firry coffins of course, until he reached… another door. But that door had lead him to a rather odd tower like room, and made Naruto wonder who the hell was building these things.

The tower like room was made of half circle rotating platforms. To get through the room, Naruto would have to stand on one platform, wait for it to rotate to the proper position, then leap upwards to the next platform. While of course taking care to avoid the firry coffins embedded in the wall. Who was this made for?

Naruto was able to make his way slowly up the shaft, thankfully not encountering any powerful enemies. Two fiends had the misfortune to leap down from the top of the shaft, but Naruto made quick work of them. A punch from his Cestus was enough to send one straight back up to the top, and Naruto hadn't seen him fall back down. The other, was taken care of when Naruto took a step back and held out his Ninjato. The fiend impaled itself on the blade, its shocked look the last thing to disappear.

When he reached the top of the shaft however, he saw two things: A lever and a shade. He was surprised to see another shade already, after dealing with one not a few moments ago. Deciding to pull the lever first, Naruto watched as all the flaming coffins in the shaft went out. He could feel his eyebrow twitch more and more with each passing secede. Why was there a lever to extinguish the coffins? Didn't that defeat the point of the punishment? And how did the lever work? Did all the coffins have a lever? This one simple machine raised so many questions!

Taking a deep breath, Naruto calmed himself down. The ridiculousness of Hell's mechanics could be thought about later. Right now he had a shade to save. Or kill. Either way was fine with him. Turning to face the shade, Naruto noticed that it was covered in dirty bandages. Only one eye was showing, and it was glaring at Naruto. It seemed to only have one good arm, which it was trying to use to crawl away with. The other arm looked limp and scrawny, and there were marks on it, as though something had been attached there until the shade's death.

Grabbing the dead arm, Naruto flashed through the memories of this fearful shade, quickly uncovering the identity. Like many of the people Naruto had fought in life, this guy was a power junkie. But unlike the others, this guy never had the drive to train for his power, and wasn't skilled or talented enough to get it easily. He would have to work hard for his power, something he didn't want to do. Instead, he allowed his body to be experimented on in exchange for any modicum of power. This was what lead o him becoming terribly scared and disfigured. In the end, he only ended up moderately powerful. Not nearly powerful enough though, to prevent his death at the hands of Gaara one fateful full moon night.

"Dosu" Naruto said, gripping the limp arm more tightly. This guy had been apart of the group that had attack his team in the Forest of Death, along with his teammates Zaku and Kin. Flipping his Ninjato into a reverse grip, Naruto decided it was time for Dosu to face the music for his sins. A slice from his blade removed Dosu's weak arm, and another removed his legs. Finally, Dosu burnt up, his bandages igniting from exposure to his sword's chakra. Dosu hardly had time for a pitiful scream, before his impromptu funeral pier reduced him to nothing.

Naruto flicked the excess ash off his sword with a sigh. That was the second one in a row he had had to punish. He hoped the next shade he met was better. He really enjoyed absolving more then punishing.

_-Naruto In Hell- I've Got No Strings, To Hold Me Down...  
_

After walking down a short hallway, Naruto found himself back in the room near the beam of light, with the giant, now headless, statue. In front of him was a rope walkway, which he quickly made his way over, stopping about halfway. From here, he could see that the path would take him through the beam of light, and out through another door. Naruto wasn't sure why, but he had good feeling about that door. Maybe that was the exit to this place? Weird, normally his leaving the circle was heralded by some…. big… battle…. uh oh.

_**"You're not leaving so soon, are you Naruto?" **_Naruto cursed his mind for jinxing himself, before looking for the source of the voice. It had been calm and collected, but it wasn't a voice Naruto could place among his friends. Was he going to have to battle another Akatsuki again so soon? He couldn't seem to find the source of the voice anywhere.

That was when they struck. Nearly too thin to see, hundreds of pale blue chakra strings flew from the abyss below him, and wrapped around him limbs. With a jerk, Naruto was pulled off the wire, where he quickly plummeted through open space. But the strings didn't seem to want him to fall to his death. With strength that something that frail had no right to possess, they halted his decent. Then, like a fishing line drawn back by a fisherman, the string pulled Naruto through many various hallways, where no doubt he would have to face their wielder. The strings soon came to a halt, before almost gently lowering him to the ground. Naruto snorted, couldn't have him dying before he could be killed after all.

Taking a look at his surroundings, Naruto found himself in what appeared to be a strange hybrid room that looked to be half throne room, half torture chamber. And sitting on what likely was meant to be a throne, was Naruto's abductor: A teenager with red hair, brown eyes, and that damnable black cloak with red clouds.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

How Sasori of all people managed to avoid being transformed by Hell was something Naruto would never know. He appeared exactly as he had when he had been killed by Granny Chiyo and Sakura. The only change was that, instead of teenage body appearing at all mechanical, it looked entirely natural. In fact, were it not for the fact that Naruto knew who he was, Sasori would not have looked like anything other then a normal soul.

As it was, Sasori had apparently set himself up as the new Ruler of Dis. His throne was situated atop a pile of… something. It was hard to tell from where Naruto was looking. It looked like a large hill made up of puppet parts, demonic remains, and Kami knows what else.

Directly behind the throne was a vast lake of fire. From the ceiling dangled hundreds of chains, some baring hooks, some not. Most of them had souls dangling from them by their feet. Periodically, one of the chains would just fall, the bound soul screaming as it did, to land with a splash in the liquid fire. A few moments later, the chain would haul the soul back up, either badly burned, or in some cases, totally disintegrated. Frankly, this wasn't exactly where Naruto would build a throne room if he was the ruler of a demonic city. Sasori probably only chose it because it was the only one big enough to put his creepy pile of puppet crap in.

Naruto sighed as the chakra strings brought him before Sasori. The teenage looking mass murderer was flanked by two NRGs. These NRGs were different from the others though, in that they were twice as large. Where he had gotten them and how he was controlling them he didn't know, and it seemed unlikely he'd get to find out.

"Sasori" Naruto growled out. Really, why did he have to be attacked so close to the exit of the circle?

_**"Naruto Uzumaki, you don't sound happy to see me" **_Sasori commented, his face set in a false smile.

"So, I take it this is the part where you tell me how much you hate me for Akatsuki's downfall, and how you're going to kill me horribly to stop my quest to save my friends?" Naruto asked, ignoring Sasori's comment. After six circles, he pretty much knew how to deal with the hellish versions of the Akatsuki. After all, they all sort of followed a set pattern.

_**"Nope"**_ Sasori said.

Or maybe not. "Excuse me?" Naruto asked, not allowing himself to hope it could possibly be that easy….

_**"I don't really have anything against you, Naruto Uzumaki. You were not personally responsible for my death. I don't mind too much that you vanquished the Akatsuki. And I certainly don't care what you do with your afterlife. If you want to go traipsing through the Inferno in search of your friends, that is none of my business." **_Sasori said with a sigh.

Naruto was starting to wonder, if Sasori didn't care that he was here, what was this about? Then, though it was barely noticeable, the faint scent of brimstone drifted through the air. Sasori sighed again and rolled his eyes, which seemed to indicated he had sensed it too.

_**"Unfortunately I do not have choice. You have annoyed all the wrong people in all the wrong places. And they would all very much like to see you dead." **_Sasori said, and as he did, the chakra strings around Naruto seemed to tighten. _**"And sadly for you, some of those people are the people I answer too. They made me ruler of this damned city, but they're really the ones in charge" **_Sasori told his captive, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. Sasori was the one who like to be pulling the strings of a puppet, not the other way around. Another chakra string flew from Sasori, picking up a spare sword in the large pile of puppet parts. The blade floated up, and pointed at Naruto. _**"So I'm afraid the quest stops here. I don't plan to risk my afterlife for you; you understand I hope." **_Sasori said, his face never changing expression. After his last word, the sword flew toward Naruto's heart, ready to end his life.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

At the last second, through sheer force of will, Naruto jerked his metal arm, strings and all, in front of him to block the otherwise fatal attack. The blade severed the strings binding his arm, before bouncing off the metal. With this arm free, he grabbed the strings around the other arm and, giving Sasori a sadistic grin, tugged with all his might. The poor puppeteer didn't have time to disconnect the strings before he was sent on a collision course with Naruto's fist.

The metal slammed into his face with such force that Naruto was amazed Sasori's skull hadn't caved in. Even if it hadn't, a resounding crack went through the air, as no doubt more then one bone in the neck had just been broken. Sasori was rocketed backwards, slamming into his throne atop his pile of stuff. The pile gave a dangerous quake, as the whole thing started to collapse on itself.

Sasori growled low in his throat in aggravation. To have been dealt such a blow so early in the fight… Even if he didn't particularly want to fight the boy, he certainly wasn't going to go easy on him!

With a thought, chakra strings latched onto the NRGs standing beside him, filling them with his orders and sending them into the fray.

Naruto landed on his feet just in time to look up to see two glowing NRG vents pointed at him. He side-stepped the first blast and caught the second with his Cestus, hurling it back at the sender. The beam struck the armor upside the head, sending it tumbling back. To Naruto's surprise, the creature wasn't killed by its own beam as the smaller variety had been. Instead, a large dent and a massive scorch mark covered the area where the attack had hit; as well as a series of spiderweb like cracks.

Of course those couldn't be his only problem. From the sides of the room, fiends were charging in. And they in turn were being lead by various cultists.

Sasori wasn't staying inactive either. He wasn't attacking though, instead he was desperately digging through his pile of parts, chakra strings snatching things up and putting them together. It appeared Sasori wasn't going to chance going another rounds of fisty cuffs with him, and was trying to build some puppets to do it for him.

Naruto fired off nearly his entire set of Prayer Beads, the deadly missiles taking out an entire row of fiends. He tried to launch a blast of Holy Chakra, only to find that the Heretic sorcerers were protecting the Demons with their magics.

Luckily that same magic didn't seem to protect them from physical damage. Using his Cestus, Naruto was able to punch a demon back into the swarm, managing to crush one of the Heretics. He then backflipped, narrowly avoiding an NRG beam.

Suddenly, inspiration struck and Naruto donned his Golden Mask. A pulse of chakra later, and all the Heretics began to fight each other as an inexplicable rage overtook them. Their magic had allowed them to put up some resistance, but Naruto was more then headstrong enough to power through.

And with the wizards now preoccupied, the protective enchantments faded from the other demons. This allowed him to start cutting major chunks of the horde down with his powerful amulet.

A noise like a chainsaw filled the air as two brown blurs shot toward Naruto. Sasori had managed to put together two puppets, each decked out with rotating saw blades. Alas, he was unable to coat them with his patented poison, something that hadn't traveled with him when he had died.

Naruto used his metal arm to deflect the first puppet, sending it flying away from him. The second puppet was more tenacious however. When it hit him, the blades stopped, but it continued to push him. Hearing the roar of blades that signaled the other puppet was making a second pass, Naruto acted quickly. Using his Ninjato he sliced a burning cut right up through the puppet, setting it ablaze. Tossing the now burning wreckage aside, Naruto spun on his heel, and grabbed the blade of the puppet barring down on him. This time, he used his sword to cut the chakra strings holding it up, rendering the doll lifeless. Taking it with both hands (having stabbed his Ninjato into the ground) Naruto threw the thing with all his might at the NRG that was trying (and failing) to stealthily sneak up on him. While normally throwing wood at steel would have no effect, Naruto fired a blast of Holy Energy behind the puppet, giving it some extra push.

As expected, the puppet burst into splinters on contact with the armor. But thanks to his amulet, it had hit with enough force to knock the NRG over. And once again the famous Uzumaki luck came through, as the large creature tumbled back, it fired off a beam in reflex. This beam hit the ceiling knocking several large stones down from the roof. All of these stones found their fall to earth softened when the crashed down upon several clusters of fiends. As for the armor itself, it fell backwards into the large lake of liquid fire that was behind Sasori's pseudo-throne. The resulting splash killed many more demons, and even had Sasori & Naruto ducking for cover. Whatever that lake was made of must have been pretty strong, or pretty deep, because the NRG did not resurface.

Before Naruto could continue his assault on Hell's forces, something lashed across his back, sending a burning pain through him, one only slightly dulled by his armor. Turning, he saw Sasori, chakra strings dangling from each of his fingers. Sasori's eye's burned with an unnatural aura, and the air around him stank of brimstone.

Naruto raised his sword, but the strings wrapped around his hand, forcing the blade to the ground. A puppet burst from the earth, looking much like a blank mannequin. It held a simple Katana in it's hand, which it used to try and decapitate him. Naruto caught the blade in his metal hand, yanking it free from the puppet, before backhanding the thing into the Lake of Fire. But as soon as he did, more strings pulled that arm to the ground, which was followed by another mannequin puppet. Turned out Sasori had been busier then he'd thought.

A donkey kick to the face took care of the puppet, which shattered into tiny pieces. Before Sasori could tie up his legs, Naruto charged him, his arms dragging the ground as he built up chakra for a technique.

Seeing he wouldn't be stopping Naruto in time, Sasori disengaged the strings, before aiming and firing the twin flamethrowers he had in his hands. This was one of the few tools that hadn't been broken when he'd come here, and he had taken great pains to keep it that way. When he had first gotten to Hell, his body had been entire, unacceptably, **Human**. It had taken a great deal of time and effort, but eventually he had been able to put his body back in working puppet order. Not all of his weapons were in great shape, but alas, he'd had to take what he could.

As the wall of fire came at him, Naruto thrust his hand foreword, allowing the Rasengan in his flesh hand to repel the flames away from him. As they cleared, Naruto was able to see the stunned look on Sasori's face. Just as he was about to drive his attack home though, his instincts screamed for him to dodge. Leaping back, he saw Sasori do the same, just before a beam of energy nuked the spot where both had been standing a second ago.

Glancing up, Naruto wondered how he could have possibly forgotten the other NRG. The thing was obviously smarter then the other, given that it had waited for Sasori and him to be too distracted by their battle before it tried to finish them off.

Dispelling the Rasengan in order to reabsorb the chakra, Naruto cast a glance at Sasori. Only Sasori wasn't there anymore. Looking around, Naruto caught site of the puppeteer using his chakra strings to swing and pull his way to the top of the NRG's back. The armor struggled, but Sasori quickly overpowered it with his puppet strings, moving the armor to his will.

Now Naruto was forced into a game of cat and mouse with the surprisingly agile armor; as Sasori forced it to smash and stomp around the room in an attempt to crush him. Whenever Naruto used his chakra enhanced speed to get out of range, Sasori had the NRG fire on him.

But thankfully, Naruto was the type of guy who had his best ideas in the heat of battle. With an ease that had only come from years of practice, Naruto summoned a horde of clones, and had them scatter, using them to distract the NRG. It wouldn't do so well on Sasori, but at least the clones would keep the Kage killer busy long enough for what he had planned. Using two clones that stayed behind, Naruto formed a Rasenshuriken. It wasn't very stable or powerful, but luckily it didn't need to be.

Sasori was only vaguely interested in the feeble horde Naruto sent his way. They were easy to kill, but frustratingly hard to catch. Feeling a suddenly pulse of chakra, Sasori watched as one of the boys (the original he assumed) hurled a spinning ball of energy at him. The boy at least had the common sense to aim high, planning to hit him and not the indestructible armor. Alas, it would be for not. With a simple tug of a string, the NRG raised and crossed its arms, forming a barrier that stopped the chakra, even as the unstable ball exploded.

Naruto grinned, Sasori had taken the bait. Pointing his open Gourd and a whispered phrase later, a blast of pure ice followed the Rasenshuriken. Naruto was aware it wouldn't hold the armor for long, but it might just…

Sasori was actually started when a wave of what he had come to associate with magic hit the NRG right after the chakra. When it did, a thick sheet of ice quickly spread over it, halting the armor. So that was the boy's plan. He must have known that the NRG would naturally heat up to free itself by melting the ice. That same heat, however, would turn Sasori to ash if he stayed on its back. The boy's plan was to get Sasori off of the NRG. Clever.

Even as Sasori hit the ground (because unfortunately, he did have to abandon his ride), Naruto was charging at him Ninjato first. Spinning on his heel, Sasori watched as his arm blades tore through what was left of his cloak. Where once the three blades had shone a proud silver, in death they had become corroded and rusty. They were able to take one hit from Naruto's mighty Ninjato, but a second caused them to snap like cheap plastic. A blast from his amulet had sent Sasori flying back. He had waited for the follow up finishing blow, but none came. Instead, he heard a resounding crash, followed by two thunderous stomps.

Naruto **had **been about to finish Sasori off, when he was distracted by the NRG breaking free. Naruto had expected it to go right after him, but instead the creature chose a closer target: Sasori. Apparently, the armor hadn't appreciated being used in such a fashion. It looked like Tenten was wrong; these things were certainly not mindless. They were sentient, or at least partially so.

Sasori looked up at the NRG towered over him. The NRGs had only followed him because he was the strongest, and he had made no attempt to destroy them. But by taking it over, it must have looked like an attack to the creature. Where before he could have gotten away with that as one of the strongest souls in the City of Dis, clearly that was no longer the case. His throne room had been destroyed, and he himself was lying in the dirt.

He tried to crawl back, but the NRG stomped down, crushing one of his legs. Sasori hobbled away, using his strings to support him, but he knew he was done for.

But the final blow from the NRG never came. Instead, a sound like a blade being sheathed echoed in the room, before all was silent. Well, as silent as a room where shades were being tortured for their crimes in the background could be at any rate. Turning, he saw the NRG standing absolutely still. It looked like it would normally, but strangely, the flames that would have normally spilt from the vents on it's head were gone.

Naruto had decided to act after he saw that the NRG had rendered Sasori mostly incapacitated. As long as Sasori didn't make for his puppet supplies, Naruto could do what he needed. Using the Dagger he'd gotten from Jashin, Naruto had stabbed the NRG in the back. Like the others, the flames had died out, and now Naruto was desperately trying to pull the Dagger free. It was slow going, but with one last desperate heave, Naruto pulled it, and the writhing, burning, creature at it's core free. The thing on the end of the Dagger screamed horribly, before being sucked into the knife. With a great crash like an elm falling to earth, the NRG fell, it's armor already starting to disappear. Dusting himself off, Naruto saw that Sasori was desperately going through his remaining parts for something that could help him.

Twirling his Kama like a lasso, Naruto hurled the blade. Sasori only heard the whistle of the steel as it sliced through the air before it cut into his chest. With him now thoroughly hooked, Naruto yanked him back like a fish on a line, pulling Sasori to him. Pumping chakra into his leg, Naruto lashed out a powerful kick just as Sasori reached him. The Kama blade came out of him, allowing Sasori to soar backwards, flying over the Lake of Fire.

Whether it was skill or just some bizarre twist of luck, Sasori crashed into one of the hooks dangling over the lake. The serrated blade of the hook cut through his chest, swinging widely as it followed Sasori's momentum away from Naruto. In fact, the force was so great, that it shook the chain loose from the ceiling, causing it fall out some from the ceiling.

This meant, that as Sasori started to swing back towards Naruto, the chain was falling closer to the burning lake. For the first time in a long time, Sasori felt fear well up in him. He was three fourths of the way back to land when his feet hit, and then became submerged, in the Lake. Even though he was a puppet, and therefore shouldn't have any pain receptors, the liquid fire caused him more agony then a thousand deaths. That pain only increased as his legs, pelvis, stomach and the lower part of his arms were all dunked in the fire.

Naruto watched, unsure of what to feel, as what was left of Sasori detached from the chain, and came flying back at him. Being made of wood and steel rather then flesh, Sasori's body had been completely obliterated by the Lake's fire. All that was left was his shoulders, and his head.

Deciding that the battle was indeed over, Naruto made to turn and try and find his way back to the exit. But before he could, a sound caught his ear. It was a slight clicking sound, and the sound of gears turning. Looking back at Sasori's "corpse", Naruto watched with morbid fascination, as Sasori's head appeared to unscrew itself from the rest of the body. When if fell away and started to roll, four tiny prongs were shown to be at the base of the neck. These prongs elongated, catching the ground and righting the head, which was giving Naruto a rather frustrated glare. They moved spider-like, giving the whole thing a creepy, almost unreal feel.

The head remained silent. Naruto wasn't sure if that was because it couldn't talk, or if it was because Sasori had nothing to say to the one who had humiliated him so.

Naruto was just deciding if he should destroy the head or not, when he felt it: A ripple. Something very bad was coming. Sasori must have felt it too, because he was scuttling desperately away from the Lake, and back the way Naruto had come.

That was the only hint he got that something was wrong when the wall exploded.

_-Naruto In Hell- David & Goliath, eat your hearts out.  
_

_**"Kill Naruto Uzumaki" "Kill Naruto Uzumaki" "KILL NARUTO UZUMAKI" **_

The order ran continuously through its head, giving him purpose again. He had awoken to the sound of his creator's voice, something he hadn't heard in eons. His master had provided a summoner, who had broken the bindings that had kept him bound for so long. When he had gotten free, his master's voice had given him an image: A boy with blond hair and blue eyes, garbed in armor and stinking of the Holy One's aura. His mission? Kill the child. And he would do so happily.

It was easy for him to find, being the only source of holy power in the entire circle. At his full height, all he had to do was step through the buildings. Sure he crushed a lot of them and caused collateral damage, but that wasn't important to his master, so it wasn't to him either.

Finding the source of the holy aura in the center of Dis, he prepared his assault. Walking through the wall, his fist was already punching where he sensed the energy. Naruto Uzumaki was as good as dead.

Naruto had let back as soon as the wall exploded, and it was a good thing too. If he hadn't a fist the size of a head on Hokage Mountain would have squashed him flat. Following that hand back up to its owner, Naruto felt his eyes grow wide at seeing **that thing **again.

The Heretic Demon, otherwise known as the statue which the tailed beasts were sealed into by Akatsuki. But how was it here now? Naruto was sure it had been blown apart in the explosion caused by him and Madara? Naruto frowned; it seemed that when it had been destroyed, the demon had returned back to its 'home'.

Naruto took a chakra enhanced leap to get out of the Demon's path as it stomped towards him. Already Sasori's Throne Room had collapsed under it's weight, sending the floor plummeting into a void, as well as causing a massive spill of the fire water from the Lake of Fire. Hmm… he wondered what had happened to Sasori…

He was forced from his thoughts when a beam of black energy slammed into the ground not three feet to his right. Leaping away from it, he turned in mid air and fired off a blast of Holy Chakra. Where it struck, it left a slight burn; but it was neither large enough nor painful enough to slow the creature down. Ok, so that wasn't going to work… Setting his Ninjato ablaze with Unholy Chakra, he used the chain to slice at the torso of Demon, all while trying to stay ahead of it, which was rather difficult, given that nothing could stop it. Like the Amulet, the Ninjato had no effect either. He decided not to bother trying to use the Gourd, because he didn't think even he had enough chakra to do anything substantial to the creature. Looked like all he could do, was run.

The Demon was rapidly changing the landscape of the sixth circle. The once great, if terrible, City of Dis was being reduced to rubble before the giant. Whereas Naruto had to run through hallways or jump across platforms, the demon merely walked behind him. How it attacked him depended on how much could reach him at any one time, which was a small blessing. Sometimes, its weight caused it to fall to a lower level, meaning only it's arms or beam attack could reach him. Other times, Naruto found himself unable to see anything but the monster's feet as they smashed through the ceiling to try and crush him like an ant. The worst times were when he lost sight of the Demon entirely. It shouldn't be possible to lose something of that size, but the creature could be surprisingly stealthy when it wanted to be. Twice it had disappeared, gotten ahead of him, only to punch it's way through the floor to try and grab him. The last time it had used a beam attack, which would have turned Naruto into a pile of nothing if his 'danger sense' hadn't warned him at the last moment, allowing him to throw up a hasty **Divine Shield. **

That blast had propelled him into the air, away from the Demon. Its roar of frustration was almost pleasing to the ears. Now, after what felt like hours, but could just as easily have been minutes, he was back where he had started before Sasori had kidnapped him. Kami's beam of like was in sight, illuminating the exit, and filling his soul with warmth.

That warmth was immediately shattered by dread when the Heretic Demon smashed through the roof and landed right next to him in a crouch, fist already making a sweeping motion. Naruto tried to encompass himself in his shield, but he couldn't in time. The Demon's strength shattered the barrier and hit him dead on. The barrier had slowed down the attack enough that Naruto wasn't reduced to paste on the Demon's hand, but the results were still painful.

He was sent flying into the air, barely clinging onto consciousness, and possibly life. In reflex, his metal arm grabbed the rope he'd been using before his business with Sasori had started. Had he used his normal arm, it likely would have been torn off. Because he used his metal cestus arm though, he was able to catch himself, though he still cried out when he felt his arm yanked lose from its socket.

Even though every movement was an agony, Naruto was able to use his Kama blade like a grappling hook and pulled himself towards Kami's light. He landed just short of it's majestic light, but hardly had the strength to move anymore. Behind him, the Demon took another gigantic step, and snapped the rope in two, the two edges falling slowly away from each other. Looking down at his prey, the Demon charged up another beam attack. Were it capable, Naruto was sure the Demon would be smirking at him now. How he hated being looked down on…

The Demon fired and it looked like this was going to be it! But at the last minute, Naruto fought through the pain and summoned a single Shadow Clone, which picked him up and tossed him into Kami's beam of light. He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to take shelter there, but something told him it was the right thing to do.

He landed in the light and watched as his clone gave him a wave before the beam dispelled it in an instant. As he lay in the light, he could already feel his strength returning. His broken body healed itself, but with the Demon advancing on him, it wasn't fast enough. The beam which destroyed his clone would be on him soon, and he wondered if this beam of light would keep it out. Some how he doubted that was what it was for.

Something inside Naruto stirred for the second time. Last time it had been to deal with an arrogant Tengu wizard. Now though, the problem was far more serious. With a rush, Naruto's eyes widened with power; the blue orbs turning to silver disks. Crouching, for he wasn't well enough to stand, he looked at the beam that might soon end his life.

Something in Naruto seemed to take over. A wave of his hand, and silver barrier, as large as the demon was wide, appeared between him and the death ray. It bore not only the Uzumaki swirl, but along the edges were tiny writing in a language Naruto couldn't quite comprehend. He knew he should know it, and a part of him thought it did, but right now, he was more focused on maintaing the shield. The beam struck the shield, and split into five parts, each flying away from Naruto. The sixth circle shook as five different beams exploded, destroying more of the sixth circle. Naruto sighed, for it was difficult to maintain that shield. A second later the defense faded.

The Demon blinked, surprised it had been repelled. No matter. Lashing out, it made to grab Naruto and crush him into a bloody smear. Seeing the hand, Naruto leapt back. He watched as the Demon's hand entered the light of Kami. The Demon reacted as one might if they had put their hand on a still hot stove. The Demon's nine eyes widened in pain, and it tried to pull back its hand. Tried being the operative word of course.

Watching the Demon about to withdraw it's hand, Naruto lashed out, his Kama blade glowing a majestic silver. It wrapped itself, like a snake, around the Demon's wrist. With a strength that in the back of his mind Naruto knew he shouldn't possess, Naruto pulled the chain. The Demon's hand was forced back into the light, much to its displeasure. The Heretic Demon roared, as the skin on it's hand turned red, before it started to bubble away into nothingness. The Demon thrashed, but there was nothing it could do. It couldn't focus enough for another beam attack, and it dared not use its other hand to attack the boy, because it would have to go through the painful light.

A minute later, the giant Demon's hand had been lost, destroyed by Kami's purifying light. It grabbed its wrist and roared pitifully in pain, glaring hatefully at the one who caused it to feel such things. Naruto just glared back, the strange power staying with him, and even now giving him the plan for a follow up attack.

Grabbing his Kama blade, he filled with as much Divine power as he could muster. Even as he channeled it into the blade, he felt parts of Kami's light filter in too, which he could only guess was a good thing. Grabbing his Ninjato, he watched as energy started to flow down the chain towards the blade. Now was the time.

The Demon was just starting to think up a way to attack the boy while he stood in the light, when the boy changed his stance. Deciding to try his luck, he planned to flatten the boy and shot a beam at the same time, banking on the idea that he wouldn't be able to defend from two attacks at once. Before he could do anything, the boy hurled his Ninjato at him. The object was so tiny to him that he had to focus to make sure that was what it was. This wasn't a particularly impressive move, though he noticed the boy was holding on to the end of a chain connected with the sword. Oh well, he'd just go through with his plan, it wasn't like the boy could actually kill him, right?

The sword traveled much faster then he had realized, and before his beam attack was fully charged, or his fist halfway to Naruto, the Ninjato struck him right in his center eye. Oh, but that wasn't all it did. It exploded, much like when Naruto channeled his Tempest power through it. This was the same principal, only instead of lightning and wind, pure Holy Energy coursed through the Ninjato into the Demon's eye.

With a blast of energy, the center eye was destroyed, along with half the Demon's face, which melted away before the might of Kami. The Demon began to fall backwards, good arm flailing. Naruto gave a tug on the chain, pulling his trusty Ninjato back to him.

Seeing that the thing was apparently going to stay down, Naruto let out a sigh of relief, even as the extraordinary power left him. Stranding up straight, he popped his back, and worked the kinks out of his muscles. Turning, he saw the long hallway that was now his path. With a final silent thank you to Kami, he ran foreword.

The tunnel thankfully had no demons or any other monsters in it. It was rather old, and parts of the tunnel started to collapse as he ran through them, but that was to be expected. After his and the Demon's rampage across the circle of Heresy, it was no wonder it was a little shaky. Thankfully though, his training came through for him, and he made it to the other side safely.

As he exited the tunnel (which filled with debris behind him, making sure he couldn't go back, not that he'd what to), he could feel a change in the air. He was on the border to the seventh circle. He wondered… what would he find there?

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The Demon hit the ground hard, in pain, but alive. It didn't want to fight anymore, but it knew its orders, it had to Kill- wait!

The Demon went still as it felt its master enter its mind. It had seen enough; the orders had been changed. Standing, it was (not that it would ever admit it) glad to see the Uzumaki boy was no longer there. That boy was nothing but trouble, he could tell. Still, orders were orders, but at least it had a safer set of orders to fulfill for the time being. As it walked away, it's orders rang through its head like a chant:

_**"Kill Naruto Uzumaki" "Break the Chains" "Kill Naruto Uzumaki" "Break the Chains" "KILL NARUTO UZUMAKI" "BREAK THE CHAINS"**_

**End Chapter 7**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura (Absolved)

**Kaiza (Absolved)

**Hanabi (Absolved)

**Lust: **Ino (Absolved)

Jiraiya (Absolved)

Orochimaru (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

**Ebisu (Absolved)

**Anko (Absolved)

**Mei Terumi (Absolved)

**Gluttony: **Choji (Absolved)

Zetsu (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Jirobou (Punished)_

_**Koharu (Punished) _

**Greed: **Kakuzu (Punished)

Shino (Absolved)

Tsunade (?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Taki (Absolved) _

_**Gato (?)_

_**Shizune (Absolved) _

**Anger: **Temari (Absolved)

Shikamaru (Absolved)

Kiba & Akamaru (Absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Tayuya (Absolved) _

_**Kin Tsuchi (Absolved) _

_**Doto Kazahana (Punished) _

**Heresy: **Tenten (Absolved)

Hidan (Punished)

Neji (Absolved)

Sasori (?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Third Kazekage (Undecided)_

_**Dosu (Punished)_

_**Amachi (Punished)_

**Violence: **

**Fraud: **

**Treachery:**

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Pein, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Gaara, Kankuro, Tsunade**

And so, with great relief, Naruto left the City of the Damned. His faith as strong as ever, his will unbreakable. But now it seems all is not as he thought. Things are moving into place that he does not understand. Those in the Shadows watch his approach with distain, and are now more determined to stop him. But one must wonder: Why? For what purpose do they seek to destroy him? What do they hope to gain?

Next Time: Behold Naruto, the Circle of Violence! Don't lose your temper beneath the cherry blossom trees, for you'll need all your wits to cross the river of blood. But trust me Naruto, you're going to need a bigger boat. Once you cross, go quickly through the woods, and do try to ignore the sounds of weeping. Some people here regret the choices they made, while one of them just regrets not going out with a bigger bang. Finally, you must cross the desert of blasphemers, where you'll get to meet your brother, though not of blood, but spirit. Though, whether he'll provide a helping hand or not is a different matter all together.

**And that's the end of Heresy. I hope you all enjoyed it. For anyone who's wondering, there are a couple of things in this chapter, that are references to neither Naruto nor Dante's Inferno. What are they? Well, look again... **

**Tenten's Cestus: This item gives Naruto great punching strength with this arm, as well as the ability to deflect attacks off its surface. **

**Jashin/Shinigami's Knife/Dagger: This Dagger gives Naruto the power to harm his enemies by harming himself. This is the equivalent to Dante's Divine Martyrdom. It's secondary ability is the power to pull out the souls of enemies. Now, while this sounds like a powerful ability, it is very difficult to use. It takes a great deal of chakra, even for Naruto to use. He'll only use it on the very strong enemies when he can, and only occasionally on smaller foes. It's mostly used on those pesky "Unbreakable Shield Enemies", like the NRGs. Good for very close range combat, when Naruto's Ninjato can't do the job. **

**Well, that's that. I'd like to remind you all to read and review, as well as check out my other work. I hope everyone has had/is having a great summer. I'll see you all again in probably a few months with the next chapter. The offical word count for this chapter is 32,267  
**

**Until Next Time...  
**


	8. Violence

**Hello Everyone! Sorry I've been gone for such a long time! Things really got away from me, and I've been working on so many other things, this just sort of fell by the wayside. But its okay, I'm back now, with a new chapter of your favorite fanfic! But first, let's answer some reviews:  
**

**Leaf Ninja 91: Thank you, glad you liked it. Hope it was worth the wait!  
**

**Dark Vizard447: Thanks  
**

**Dark Lord Namikaze: Glad you liked it, hope you like this one too!  
**

**Madness Abe:Yeah, I did base Tenten's design a bit off the Terminator. Actually, Neji's design was taken after that one character in Yu Yu Hakashou. The one who can turn green and has all the eyeballs. Yeah, that one. And thank you, I have changed it to Tanto in this chapter. And thank you for your thoughts on Sasuke.  
**

**airnaruto45: Tenten is like Shino. She has no background to speak of, so I can do whatever I want with her to fit the situation.  
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**Drake G. Reaper:Yeah, not sure who the contractor in Hell is, but I'll bet he's making a killin'. Your suggestions will be taken into account, though they may not be used.  
**

**darkvizardking69: Glad you liked it, hope you like this one too!  
**

**Shinsou Tengen Wabisuke: A game based on my story... MAKE IT SO INTERNET! Well, this chapter has even more random Naruto characters for you to enjoy!  
**

**J.T: My inspiration? I honestly don't remember. I really just tried to twist around the atheistic idea that what we see is all there is. If she didn't believe in an afterlife, then the world she's in must be the real world. And since she doesn't believe in kami, but knows Bijuu exist... and that's it. Oh, and thanks for the correction about the Kazekage. Your vote about Konan will be considered.  
**

**Killjoy92: Hope this one is worth it too! And you're right, that was from JAWS.  
**

**digitalflame192: Your vote will be taken into account.  
**

**BNGwarrior: You've made a lot of guesses about who ends up where, now read and see which you got right...  
**

**Doom Marine 54: I would never abandon a story! They just take me a really long time to write...  
**

**Rictor Yagami: Glad you liked it. And I hope you like this one.  
**

**Trey of the rebellion: Read and find out!  
**

**BlackRoseFire: Glad you liked it, hope you like this one.  
**

**kazikamikaze24: Glad you liked it, and you'll just have to read to find out!  
**

**Baron von Nobody: Man, you gave me a lot of ideas, and I did use the Samurai one. So, SHOUT OUT TO YOU MY GOOD FRIEND! ;) Hope you like this chapter.  
**

**(): I know you used several different names over the course of five minutes. And while I can appreciate your desire for a Kyubi x Naruto pairing, it's not going to happen. This is not that kind of story, and they will never have that kind of relationship. Sorry, that's just the way it is. **

**I thank all of you for reviewing, and I hope you do so with this chapter. One of the Monsters used in the Forest of Suicides was provided by Baron von Nobody, so big hand to him. Now then, enough gabbing, its Christmas and we've all got things to do! Like diving right into this next chapter!  
**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Brushing some loose dirt of his shoulder Naruto glanced at his surroundings. It appeared he hadn't reached the next circle just yet, but was still in the tunnels that lead from one circle to another. Finally exiting the tunnels, he found himself on a cliffside overlooking what was likely the seventh circle. He was probably still a ways off, given that he couldn't see anything yet.

The one thing he could see though was Kyubi. She was leaning against the wall, tapping her foot impatiently, arms folded. Stepping up to her, her head snapped up, her eyes locking with his with surprising intensity.

_"You're alive. That's good. For a minute there I thought you'd gotten yourself killed." _she said with a smirk. Naruto wasn't sure how to interpret that statement. Either the Kyubi was hoping he would get killed, or she was genuinely worried about his well being. He wasn't sure which was odder.

Thankfully, Kyubi saved him from having to think on it too much, because she spoke up again _"Kit, within this remaining cavern there are three more circles; one below another, each full of accursed spirits." _she said, looking in the direction his path would take him.

Naruto decided to go ahead and ask some questions that might lead to answers that actually helped him. "How and why are they imprisoned?" there, that was straightforward enough that she shouldn't be able to duck out of giving him a real answer.

Kyubi just rolled her eyes at him _"The first ring is wholly of the violent. Because violence can be done to three persons, in three rounds it is divided: Violence unto one's neighbor; unto one's self; and unto Kami."_ she said seriously.

Naruto blinked. Okay, that gave him an idea of what sin this circle was, but not what was in it. Plus, she'd only said what was in the circle he was about to go into. "And below that?" he asked. Maybe if he knew what was coming, he could better plan ahead.

Kyubi's smirk became a borderline feral grin _"Of every sin that gains hatred in heaven, Fraud, because it is peculiar to man, is the most displeasing to Kami. Therefore the Fraudulent, and then the Traitors are the lowest."_ She stopped to shudder, as though the thought of what awaited the lowest scum actually frightened her_ "And more woe assails them then all the rest."_

Naruto frowned. He could understand that somewhat. He hated traitors too. They were people that broke bonds, and for someone like him, that was an unthinkable option. But why would Kami hate them more then anyone else?

"But why are those in the circle above, in the storm and the rain and the mud… why are they not also punished down here?

Kyubi shook her head. Even after all his travels, the boy was still so ignorant of the ways of the afterlife. _"Because their sins are of the flesh, which is less offending. Unlike the sins of Malice, which goes against nature herself." _she said, as though it were obvious. And then, just like she had every time the'd talked, she vanished into mist.

Naruto just sighed. At this point, it wasn't hardly bothering him as much as it probably should. He just rolled his shoulders and popped his neck, as he got ready for the next phase of his journey.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

A quick jog down the tunnel lead him to a bone spire, which dropped off suddenly, with only a rope beneath it. Had he been a moment too slow, he had no doubt he would have missed the rope and plummeted to his doom. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and he was able to run across the rope, only pausing to leap off of it to a rope below. The rope went on into the darkness for quite a ways, and Naruto almost began to feel complacent. Big mistake.

Even without his slightly above average hearing, Naruto would have heard the whirring of gears shifting in the darkness to his left. Turning to look in the direction they came from, Naruto felt his eyes bulge as he spotted an absolutely gigantic axe swinging at him at frightening speed.

Dropping down, Naruto allowed himself to hang from the rope as the axe passed through the spot his torso had occupied a moment before. Squinting his eyes to see into the darkness, Naruto saw what appeared to be a large robotic minotaur wielding a double bladed axe. Seriously.

"Why the hell would anyone make these things!" Naruto cried in dismay, trying desperately to shimmy out of the way of another axe blow.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Madara Uchiha gazed out over the frosty plains as he surveyed the nearing completion of 'the plan'.

Right now, Zetsu was still growing, larger now then he had been when that insufferable brat had killed him. However, it was important that Zetsu not only grew upwards, but downwards as well. His master (he frowned, not really enjoying the concept of having a master, having always been the one to pull the strings himself) had explained why this was necessary. The part of Zetsu that pointed upwards would eventually grown through the barrier that separated Hell from Earth. When that happened, it would be child's play for any persistent soul to climb out of the Inferno and back to Earth's mortal plane.

The part which grew downwards through the ice was perhaps even more important. While a part of him doubted if it was possible, if it worked, Zetsu would end up creating a path that not only lead out of the Inferno, but lead them directly to Purgatory, and possibly… Paradise.

Soon, the plan would come to fruition, and he would be free of this place. Let that fool Uzumaki come and challenge him. It wouldn't matter. He was marching directly to his death. Soon…

_-Naruto In_ Hell-_** An Old Acquaintance**_

Naruto gave a gasp, his heart pounding. It had taken him a while to get passed the axe happy minotaurs. Yes, minotaur'**s**'as in plural. As soon as he got out of range of the first one, a second one started swinging. Luckily, it didn't look like they could move, so it was all a matter of running for his life before those axes could end it.

So, after a little running, he'd jumped down several bone spires to find Hell's latest geographical feature: The Phlegethon, the river of Boiling Blood. The heat coming off of it was immense, and a hazy steam rose over the crimson waters. The screams of those unfortunate enough to be caught up in the river were deafening, but after dealing with six other circles of deafening screams, Naruto was able to deal with it surprisingly well.

Approaching the river, he saw a large hunched figure. It had dark grey skin, and two tiny horns poking out of its forehead. But what really got Naruto's attention were two things: the wrappings around the demon's face, and the large cleaver strapped to its back. There was only one person Naruto knew that could have a sword like that…

"Zabuza?" Naruto asked cautiously as he approached the hulking figure.

The figure twitched, and Naruto heard a squeal he was sure did not come from Zabuza. The figure, now identified as the former Demon of the Hidden Mist, turned to face him. Held tightly in his now demonic fist, was a struggle shade. Zabuza blinked, as though trying to recall the name of the one who seemed to know him until..

_**"Naruto Uzumaki! I'll be…"**_ Zabuza said, his gruff voice sounding clear despite the bandages, just as it had in life. Despite said bandages, Naruto could tell Zabuza had a smile on his face.

_**"What are you doing here?"**_ Zabuza asked curiously, slamming his blade into the dirt, and tossing what looked like a deformed shade to the ground. The shade moaned piteously, but looked to weak to move.

"I could ask you the same thing. I figured Haku had helped you redeem yourself before the end" Naruto said, a little sad to see that Zabuza hadn't made it like he'd hoped.

Zabuza just chuckled _**"That pure as snow thing only really worked for him. The kid never really did anything evil, so I guess"**_ he shrugged_** "they let his time with me slide." **_he chuckled ruefully _**"I on the other hand, stained my hands with enough blood to warrant being chucked down here almost immediately." **_Zabuza heaved a somewhat sad sigh _**"Gotta say though, despite all the fun I've been having, I wouldn't mind seeing Haku again" **_

Naruto smiled, this was just the sort of thing he could do "Well, you know I could send you on if you wanted" he offered, raising his amulet, and letting a small amour of its power leak into the air around them. Zabuza instantly felt more at ease, and even the quivering shade stopped whimpering.

Zabuza smirked _**"You're full of surprises aren't ya kid? And how, pray tell, did you come across that thing?" **_he asked pointing to the amulet.

After giving the former swordsman of the mist a quick run down of his mission, trying to keep it short given the circumstances, Zabuza just stood there silently. He had known the kid was tough, but this was something else.

"I gotta ask though, Zabuza… just who is that?" Naruto asked pointing at the shade.

Glancing down, Zabuza got a sadistic look on his face that almost scared Naruto a little. Almost, because at this point he had seen pretty much everything, and Zabuza's version of scary just wouldn't cut it.

Hefting the shade up Zabuza said _**"Don't tell me you don't recognize my old friend Gato here" **_he said, looking at Gato in a way that instantly said they were not friends. _**"After I got here, I searched around until I found him. I busted him out of a pretty big spot of bother up in the circle of Greed, and I've kept him with me ever since. Oh the good times we've had…" **_he chuckled darkly, making Gato cringe.

Naruto didn't need to 'look underneath the underneath' to read between those lines. Judging by the state Gato was in, he could easily guess the time of 'good times' Zabuza had meant.

Clearing his throat, he snapped Zabuza out of his happy memories with Gato. _**"Oh, right! Yeah kid, fire it up. Hell's great an all" **_he said with a straight face, making Naruto sweatdrop _**"but I really would like to see Haku again." **_he admitted with a hint of hope in his voice.

"Alright, I'll send you through…" he trailed off, looking at Gato. "Though I don't think I'll let him through" he said sending a glare at the former crime lord. "He didn't repent in the end, like you did. I don't think he's ready to walk the road of redemption just yet" he added coldly.

Zabuza smirked, revealing his sharpened teeth _**"Not a problem." **_with one hand he hefted Gato up, taking care to run him against the blade of his sword, cutting Gato as he went. Holding Gato at eye level he said _**"Well I'm afraid this is wear we part ways. Good luck suffering for all time" **_and then, without another word, turned on his heel and hurled the screaming mogul as hard as he could towards river of blood that flowed besides them. Gato got some surprising distance, before gravity took over and sent him blunging into the scalding depths. The once rich and powerful Gato found himself to weak from the torture his former employee had heaped on him to fight against the currents, and before he knew it, he was submerged.

_**"There, and now that that's taken care of…" **_Zabuza trailed off as he turned to Naruto. The young warrior of Kami just nodded before with a flash, a portal opened. In it, Zabuza could see a long winding road, which seemed to lead to a mountain in the distance.

"This portal should take you to be redeemed of your sins." he explained "I can't send you directly to Paradise because… well…"

_**"I understand kid. I slaughtered a lot of innocent people in my days. I take full responsibility for my choices." **_he declared, stepping up to the portal. He understood that if he wanted to see Paradise, as well as his apprentice Haku, he'd have to earn it.

Just before he stepped through the portal, he looked down at the sword in his hand. It had been a constant companion in his life for a long time. But with it he had committed a great many of his crimes. And where he was going, he wouldn't need it anymore. He wasn't sure why, but he felt there was really only one person he could intrust it to.

Naruto started when Zabuza slammed his great cleaver into the ground. Looking at Zabuza somewhat confused, he was met with a simple smirk _**"Here kid. I don't need this where I'm headed. You though… give 'em an extra slice for me kid" **_he asked. Naruto just nodded, and the former Demon of the Mist turned again to make his way into the Great Beyond.

"Hey!" he called, getting the large man's attention. "Haku… " he started somewhat embarrassed "when I first met Haku, I thought he was a girl. But Haku said he was a guy. But… I don't know… he just seemed too girly." he rambled "so was Haku really a boy, or a girl?" he asked.

Zabuza just stared at him for a long time. Then, he threw back his head and laughed. He laughed long and hard, tears starting to roll down his face. Then, without a backwards glance, he stepped through the gateway, the portal closing behind him.

Naruto huffed, he'd just redeemed the guy; the least the guy could have was answer him. Oh well. Turning, he faced the Kubikiribocho. Now what to do with it...

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Zabuza inhaled the fresh air as he took his first few steps down the path of redemption. With each step he took, more and more of his demonic features melted away. Soon, he appeared just as he had when he had died, minus the injuries and bandages. His outfit was also a dark shade of gray, representing the amount of sin Zabuza had to work off. Zabuza wasn't sure how he knew that, but just attributed it to the aura of the place filling him in.

_**"Hmm… this could take a while"**_ he muttered.

_"Yes, but do not worry Zabuza-sama, the journey is well worth it" _a kind voice said besides him.

Turning to the side, Zabuza found himself looking into the face of his apprentice. Haku was decked out in a completely white set of clothes, a symbol of purity. Zabuza found himself at a loss for words, unsure how to address the person who had given their life up for him.

_**"Haku… I…" **_he reached out towards Haku.

_"I know Zabuza-sama, I know" _Haku said, stepping forward and embracing Zabuza.

When both of them had gotten that out of their systems, they turned and proceeded to walk down the path together.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto tapped the tip of his Ninjato to the surface of the Kubikiribocho, idly wondering what would happen. When he did, both blades glowed white, and the Kubikiribocho lifted into the air. Then, slowly at first, but then rapidly, the Kubikiribocho seemed to become a smoky substance, which flowed directly into the Ninjato. Then, as quickly as it had started, it was over.

Naruto looked his sword over for any obvious change, but couldn't find any. Aside from the blade being slightly thicker, it looked like it had before. Hmm… perhaps it had only inherited the power of the Kubikiribocho then. What was it's power again? Oh, that right it was-

_"Hmm, took you long enough" _Kyubi remarked from behind him.

"Gah!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping slightly in surprise. "Where the heck did you come from!" Naruto demanded.

The Kyubi just smirked _"Well Naruto, when a mommy demon and a daddy demon love each other very much-" _she started.

"You know that's not what I mean!" Naruto interrupted, his face blushing slightly "Where have you been?" he asked rephrasing the question.

_"Oh… here and there" _Kyubi answered evasively. Glancing sideways at the river, she quickly changed the subject _"In violence, wounds and death are inflicted against one's neighbors."_ she told him, then gestured towards the large river before him _"This ring torments those who murder and plunder… and every soul who wrongfully smites another."_ she finished, clenching her fist.

Naruto had a pretty good idea of what awaited these souls, but felt compelled to ask all the same "What exactly… is this punishment?"

Kyubi looked at him, her face twisting in a vicious smirk _"Within this river are those tyrants… punished in a boiling blood"_ she hissed.

Naruto gulped, looking back at the river. "How am I supposed to get across this thing?" he asked. He turned back to Kyubi, half expecting her to have vanished. When he found she was still there, somehow he felt his dread grow.

_"Oh I have just the thing for that"_ she said gleefully, raising her hand and snapping her fingers over the river of boiling blood. When she did, a fraction of her power fell to the rapids below them. With a shudder and shake that rippled across the pseudo-water, some of the blood shifted. It gathered together, hardening like ice, to form a medium sized platform of sorts.

_"There, now you'll just have to ride this down the river until you reach the next ring." _Kyubi explained quickly, sending one of her tails to sneak up on Naruto.

Naruto looked at the Kyubi as though she had grown a second head. "Are you crazy! That thing looks like it could capsize at any moment! It doesn't even look like it'll support my weight!" he ranted. He was cut off though, when one of Kyubi's red tails snatched him up and deposited him on the blood raft.

_"Don't worry" _she assured him, though the look in her eyes told him that she was enjoying his fear _"I'm at least thirty seven percent sure this won't break apart before you reach your destination. And if if does, try and hitch a ride on one of the centaurs." _she told him.

Naruto balked, not sure what to comment on first. As the Kyubi used her tails to push him away from the relative safety of shore, he finally found his voice "What centaurs! Are they friendly?" he called out, slightly panicked as his make-shift raft moved unstably under him.

Kyubi didn't answer his question, she just smiled and waved as the river of blood carried him off. Before she vanished to her next point, she looked down at the blood one last time. In it's depths she could see a large shape heading towards Naruto and his raft. She supposed she should have warned him about this creature… oh well.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto was starting to suspect that the Kyubi was actually trying to kill him. Not three minutes after she'd sent him off, the edges of the platform were already starting to crumble away.

And as the platform got smaller by the second, and Naruto began to consider trying to force Kami to give him the power to fly before he was dunked in molten blood, Naruto caught sight of… something.

It appeared to be a giant moving statue, not unlike the minotaur he'd enchanted earlier. This one though, was fashioned to appear like a centaur. It's basic features were full and hard to make out, the years having eroded most of them away. In each hand it held a rather large cage, filled with screaming flailing shades. Every few moments it would dunk one cage into the river of blood, while raising the other out.

While incredibly morbid and painful looking, it did have a nice wide back, which was perfect for someone who's only means of transport was about to disintegrate under them. So, with a mighty heave, he leapt from his blood raft towards the centaur statue. Thankfully, even though it was moving in the same direction he had been, it was doing it so slowly, that there was no way it could out pace him; meaning there was no way he could miss.

Sticking to its metallic hide with chakra, Naruto quickly scaled the behemoth, reaching its back in seconds. What he found though, was not what he'd been hoping for.

An **actual **centaur was up here. It appeared to be operating it. Well, sort of, sometimes it was looking over the side, and taking potshots at the souls trying to escape from their punishment with a deadly looking long bow.

Knowing how unfriendly the denizens of the Inferno were, Naruto tried to think of a way to make himself unnoticeable. Sadly, centaurs have excellent senses. The ugly thing quickly picked up his sent and after locking its eyes on him; began barking out a challenge in a language he didn't understand.

It charged him, its head lowered, revealing a set of curved rams horns. It intended to buck him right off the statue. Thankfully, this was a foolish plan, even to Naruto, who only had to perform a well timed leap to avoid the attack. This had the added benefit of sending the charging centaur flying over the edge, and down towards the river below. Naruto blinked, then smirked. That was surprisingly easy. If that was all the seventh circle had to offer, he'd be out of here in no time.

_-Naruto In Hell- **You're Going To Need A Bigger Boat. **  
_

Naruto found his victory short lived however, when something very large struck the side of the mechanical centaur. The whole structure shook, and Naruto was knocked to his knees. Gripping the amulet of he quickly began to heal himself, wondering what fresh monstrosity this place would throw at him. He didn't have to wait long, as whatever it was that struck hit the centaur again. This time though, it struck it hard enough to cause the centaur to crack and shatter in multiple places; more specifically two of its back legs. These were quickly followed by the front legs, leaving the whole thing to bob helplessly in the river of blood. It was at that point that Naruto got a good look at what he was up against.

It was a shark. But not just any shark (was it ever **just **anything in this place?), oh no. It was a giant, blood red, armored shark. It came with a mouth like an endless void of teeth and eyes so black they might actually be sucking in the light around them. And if Naruto had to take a shot in the dark, he'd guess it probably wasn't friendly.

This proved to be true, as the shark seemed to rear up in the blood-water, before slamming down, sending a wave of molten pain right at him. Naruto quickly raised a divine shield (about the only thing that could protect him from the magnitude heading his way), and prayed the remains of the Centaur didn't tip over.

The blood slammed into the divine shield with a fizz and a hiss, but the shield held strong. The centaur turned boat was much closer, as it pitched and rolled; requiring Naruto to use chakra on his feet to stay grounded. But Naruto wasn't worried about that right now, he was worried about the giant shaker that seemed to have it in for him.

He didn't have to look long, as with a great splash, the Shark launched itself out of the water straight at him, mouth wide.

Naruto nearly froze as primal fear filled him. But his sense of duty was stronger then his fear. At the last second, he dropped to his back, and watched as the shark began to sail over him. In the stir of the moment, he tossed his Kama blade up, and saw to his satisfaction that the underbelly of the shark was not as heavily fortified as the rest. The blade sliced through the thick skin, and left a long and bloody trail down the beasts underside.

Finally the shark had passed, having made the jump to the other side of the make-shift raft. Quickly getting to his feet, Naruto waited for his adversary to rise again. Even though he had scored a significant blow, he knew that wouldn't be enough to keep such a creature down.

And he was right. Not five seconds later, the massive creature surged out of the 'water' again, this time landing on the end of Naruto's make shift boat. This titled the already structurally unsound thing, causing Naruto to slide downwards towards the creature's gaping maw. He reflexively fired off his Golden Prayer Beads, only to watch them bounce off the shark's apparently diamond hard skin. He aimed for the eyes, but a second, translucent layer came down to protect them.

So as he slid closer to his doom, Naruto quickly realized he only had one move for his gambit. Taking out his Death Tanto Naruto pushed himself forward, under the shark's teeth, but used chakra to stick to the metal centaur. Before the shark could bite him in half, Naruto stabbed upwards with the Tanto, piercing the top of its mouth (though sadly not it's brain. The shark froze in place, the terrifying magic of the Tanto a threat even to it apparently. While frozen, Naruto decided to add insult to injury, and activated his Divine Tempest magic. The shark twitched under the electric assault, issuing an almost human life scream…

Ignoring that, Naruto quickly stepped back, pulling the soul of the shark away from the body. But the soul that came out was not a shark-like soul. Instead, it was a very tall human soul. In fact it Naruto could swear that was…

"Kisame?" Naruto asked incredulously. His answer was a punch to the face, which dislodged him and his Tanto from Kisame, leaving him unsealed. Kisame frowned at Naruto, before closing his eyes in concentration. With a red flash, his outstretched hand grasped the handle of his prized Samehada.

_**"Well well well, so the fox brat remembers me after all this time… I'm touched" **_he spoke condescendingly. He turned and frowned at the Shark body that was sliding off the centaur back into the blood river. _**"You know how long it took me to make that?" **_he asked, referring to his pseudo body. _**"Trust me when I say, you're gonna regret breaking it" **_his eyes narrowed, before he grasped his sword more firmly, and prepared to face off the brat.

Naruto opened fire with his Prayer Beads, but Kisame batted them aside with Samehada. He dashed forward, and attempted to take off Naruto's knees, only for Naruto to leap up and perform a spinning kick at the shark-man's shoulder, sending him stumbling back. Kisame lashed out with a jab that hit Naruto right in the pucker, and sent him to the ground.

Naruto quickly righted himself and sent his Kama blade into Kisame's knee before channeling his Divine Tempest down the chain. But before the lightning could turn Kisame into a fish stick, he jabbed the chain with Samehada, whose power absorbed the magical energy. Naruto popped his Gourd out and tried to freeze Kisame solid, only for the same thing to happen. If Naruto wanted to finish Kisame, he'd need to take care of that sword!

Summoning two shadow clones, Naruto sent them to hold off Kisame. The giant of a man made quick work of them, but it bought Naruto enough time to charge his Tanto with enough energy before plunging it into his arm. As he bit back a scream of pain, Kisame did the same as a deep wound appeared on his sword arm, making it difficult to hold Samehada. And unfortunately for Kisame, he didn't have a healing amulet like Naruto did.

Naruto charged forward to press his advantage, only for the whole raft to rock violently as something roared beneath the waves of blood. Then the waves broke, and Naruto found himself looking at… Kisame's shark body? Huh?

Then the body jerked left and right, before twisting around, revealing the underbody to the boy ninja. The stomach shook and bulged, as the split Naruto had put their earlier widened with the movement. Then… with a great heave, the body split in two, revealing to Naruto a new monstrosity.

It looked similar to a chinese dragon, but instead of the eyes of a wise creature, or even a wild animal, Naruto saw the eyes of a cold calculating killer. In place of scales, the creatures entire form seemed to be made up of rippling blood. While mostly liquid, it did appear to harden in some spots, namely the teeth and claws.

"What in Kami's name is that thing!" Naruto said, wide eyed as the thing twisted and rolling in the air.

Kisame chuckled _**"Heh, well remember that Suigetsu kid?" **_he asked.

Naruto nodded, before his eyes widened in realization "You mean… seriously?"

Kisame's grin was anything but friendly _**"Yeah, he sought me out as soon as he had a tiny bit of power… and paid the price for his arrogance!" **_he said with a shout directed at the dragon. Something which the dragon didn't take to kindly too.

With a roar, the dragon unleashed a blast of heated blood at the two combatants, apparently just as eager to end Kisame as it was Naruto. They both dodged, and Naruto responded in kind with a blast of Holy chakra. Sadly, the blast just went right through the monster like it was hardly there.

A sixth sense for danger was all that kept Naruto alive, as he was forced to jump lest he be cut in half by Samehada. Kisame thrust and jabbed the blade, his attacks become more and more frenzied with each miss. Naruto blinked to keep the sweat out of his eyes. It was really difficult to dodge both the crazy swordsman and trigger happy dragon.

With a hop, he leapt on top of of Samehada, before jumping up as spike sprouted from it. While in the air, he fired a wide area blast with his amulet, knocking Kisame back. When he landed, Naruto was breathing heavy, his mind trying desperately to think of something he could do!

Then, like a voice on the wind, he felt the answer come to him! Grabbing his chain, he turned and lassoed the head of the centaur boat. Once the chain had wrapped around multiple times, he immediately channeled his Divine Tempest magic through the chain.

The whole deck of the make shift boat lit up like a christmas tree, as divinely powered lightning coursed through it. Naruto was thankful that it was his own power, meaning he was protected from its wrath. Sadly, Kisame wasn't so lucky. The shark man had been charging when the bolts struck, sending him skittering to the floor as he jerked around painfully.

Of course, Naruto had done this for more then Kisame. The lightning chain wrapped around the metal boat head would turn the entire thing into one powerful electromagnet (thank you Iruka-sensei for basic science classes!). The magnetism coming off the chain and boat were so strong, it could even attract the smallest particles of iron… like say… the kind you find in blood?

The boat shook violently as as more waves crashed into the boat, drawn by the power of his magnet. But that wasn't what worried Naruto, no that would be the dragon. Said dragon had stopped firing death blasts, and was now shaking in mid air. Then, like a ballon under too much pressure, the beast exploded with a mighty roar, sending globs of blood every which way. The iron that had made up most of its being though, soared downward, right at Naruto; who was forced to erect a hasty barrier with his amulet lest he be pulverized to atoms.

When the dust cleared, Naruto shut off the electricity, stopping the magnet. Looking over the deck, he saw that Kisame hadn't been able to take shelter, and had ended up quite bruised as a result. But that wasn't enough to dull his tenacity, as he got right back up and stumbled towards he pray. Naruto figured it was time to end this.

Dashing forward, he moved to plunge his Ninjato through Kisame's chest. But at the last moment, Kisame moved his Samehada to block. However, to the shock of both combatants, the Ninjato pierced right through the legendary shark skin. Kisame grunted as the holy steel punctured his chest, but still he would not fall. Grabbing the boy by the head with his spare hand, he tried to slam the boys head onto the blade of his sword. The boy resisted, and Kisame could feel power welling up from inside both swords. Samehada was of course trying to eat the brats chakra, but it also seemed like the brats sword… was trying to absorb Samehada!

Yes, like water going the drain, the power of Samehada seemed to be slipping out of it and into Naruto's Ninjato. Kisame tried to pull back on his power, but it was so difficult. And as he and Naruto struggled, he swore he saw something standing behind the boy. And as time went on, that something got clearer and clearer. It was like a multitude of shimmer people, whose features couldn't be made out. They were of different sizes, but all of them were glaring at him. As one, they placed their hands on Naruto, and Kisame felt a great deal of fear at that gesture…

Naruto wasn't sure where the sudden surge of strength had come from, but he liked it. With a final yank, Samehada collapsed in on itself, before finally getting sucked into his own Ninjato. But the shark skin wasn't the only thing that got absorbed. Kisame's body withered as his power was broken. In a matter of moments, the once proud Kisame was reduced to a simple shade.

Now that victory was in his grasp, Naruto grabbed Kisame by the throat, and dragged him to the edge of the boat. Looking down at the once great swordsman, Kisame saw his death reflected in the glowing silver eyes. Naruto, guided by an unknown force, swung his Ninjato twice. The first swing took out Kisame's legs. The second took his arms. Then, with a heave, he tossed the screaming Kisame into the air, watching as he sailed over the blood.

Kisame landed with a splash, unable to support himself as he began to sink. Kisame could feel the horror his victims felt when he slaughtered them, as he was pulled under by unseen forces. The pain escalated as he was submerged, and he knew this was how he would pay for his crimes…

Naruto blinked as he stood on the edge of the boat. What had happened? He had felt a sudden surge of power, and had been in a haze there for a minute.

Any thoughts on the matter though were going to have to wait, as Naruto heard the sound of something moving behind him. Turning, he saw to his distress that the blood on the boat was coming together. A few seconds later Suigetsu stood fully formed again. He spoke no words, as his vocal cords were just as much liquid as the rest of him, but the look he was giving was plenty.

Suigetsu suddenly charged forward, his arms shifting into giant mallets, ready to flatten Naruto into a stain. Naruto rolled to the left to dodge, swinging his blade upward and cutting off the right arm. Even as the arm lost shape and splattered on the deck, a new arm grew to replace it. Naruto turned on his heel, and quickly decapitated the blood monster, only for the same thing to happen.

He jumped back to avoid a stab to the face, and as he did, he glanced down at his sword. He noticed that the flecks of blood from his attacks weren't sliding off. Instead, it looked like they'd been magnetized to the blade. If anything, it was like the blade was sucking them in!

WAIT!

How could he be so stupid! He'd absorbed Zabuza's sword, which had the power to absorb blood to strengthen the blade. Which meant this monster was nothing more then one giant power-up for his sword. Naruto's sudden grin was enough to halt Suigetsu's attack at his opponents sudden change in expression.

Naruto capitalized on that when he summoned his Mask, the device glowing brightly as Naruto sought to put the fear of Kami into Suigetsu. The swordsman wannabe found himself paralyzed with crippling fear as Naruto charged towards him, and plunged the blade into his chest.

The pain was enough to make Suigetsu move again, though he noticed that having the blade in him had made him feel weaker… but that should be impossible right? His form should be immune to injury? And yet…

Naruto leapt forward again, ducking and weaving around Suigetsu's now blade like arms, before jabbing his own blade. Suigetsu dodged, but left himself open for an upward slash that saw his left arm flying away from his body. Before he could react, Naruto had buried the blade into his side, the mystic metal sucking away at his enemies substance.

Suigetsu jumped back, his arm firing several bloody shuriken as he did. He watched as Naruto sliced them with his sword, and then watched as the blood faded into the metal blade. It was then that he realized with horror what had been happening to him. Deciding to cut his losses, he turned to flee, hoping to build his strength back up before attacking again.

But Naruto wasn't going to let him escape so easily. His Gourd shot a beam of freezing cold, creating a wall of ice in front of his pray. Suigetsu turned, eyes wide as Naruto hurled the sword to bury itself in his chest. But he wasn't out just yet. Suigetsu, reduced his form to a puddle, easily slipping passed the blade. As he reformed, he made sure to leave a hole for the chain to pass through, that way Naruto couldn't use his lightning on him.

Satisfied that Naruto had thrown his one advantage away, Suigetsu charged for the finishing blow. Naruto yanked on the chain, but Suigetsu knew it would be futile. He reached Naruto's position, his arms forming large battle axes, ready to strike his foe down where he stood-

Only for a blistering pain to enter through the back of his forehead. When Naruto had tugged the sword back, it had really come back. Channeling chakra throughout the chain allowed him to manipulate its flight, so that the blade went right through the back of Suigetsu's head.

Suigetsu fell to the ground, sword still in his head. He tried to move, but found he was too weak. The sword had taken to much of his substance, and he had no strength left to resist.

Naruto watched as the last of Suigetsu disappeared, leaving nothing but a rusty stain on the back of the boat. Picking up the sword, he gave it a flick, and then placed it back at his side.

_-Naruto In Hell- **Falling Petals... **  
_

As the adrenaline from his battle wore off, Naruto now realized he had a totally different problem. The boat could only float down the river of blood, and he had no way to control it or stop it if he wanted to get off. And he did want to get off, because he felt that staying on this rive any longer then he already had, might be hazardous to his health.

However, Kami had a funny sense of humor, for as the boat rounded the corner, the centaur turned boat literally rain into his solution. As it collided, Naruto had to glue himself to the deck with chakra to not get thrown off. And when he looked up at what exactly he'd hit, his jaw damn near hit the floor.

It was a root. Or rather, part of a giant root to a **giant **tree. From where he was, he couldn't see the top of it, that how large it had grown. The tree's roots seemed to keep the main body of the tree raised above the boiling rapids, while they dipped below the 'waters' for nourishment. Actually, that wasn't quite accurate. Naruto could see, somewhat directly under the tree's center, a large stone column. On top of that column, was a stone platform, on which the majority of the tree grew. He said majority, because the tree had grown so large that not all of it could fit on the relatively small stone base.

Naruto shrugged, figuring he might as well climb the tree to see where it would take him. He supposed he could stay on the river, but something told him his journey would require whatever was up this tree. So, without a second look back at his vessel, Naruto gave a chakra enhanced leap to one of the roots. Once there, he simply ran upwards, using the tree-climbing exercise he had learned so many years ago.

As he climbed, he could have sworn he heard giggling up above him. Looking up, he saw nothing. But as he climbed higher, he heard it again…. snapping his gaze all around him, he spotted a flash of pink hair moving out of view. Putting on a burst of chakra, he quickly scaled the rest of the tree trunk. Arriving at more level ground, Naruto was stopped as he finally saw the top of the tree: It was a beautiful sakura tree, with petals so pink and fragrant, it actually blocked out the smell of blood and death that had been omnipresent only moments ago. They floated so slowly and beautifully, it was like a magnificent dream.

_**"You came… " **_said a soft, kind voice. Naruto turned, and saw to his joy, his female teammate standing not far from him. _**"I knew you would come…" **_she said happily, and Naruto hopped from root to root to get closer to her. _**"I waited so long, I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again. But now you're here" **_Sakura said, oddly never seeming to get any closer, no matter how much chakra Naruto put into his jumps. Sakura spread her arms wide, the most passionate smile he'd ever seen on her face _**"Come to me, Naruto. I've missed you so much" **_and Naruto would have too. He would have gladly leapt into the arms of his old crush.

But he didn't. He'd been through too much to trust on sight anymore. Focusing, his Mask materialized, and he gripped Kami's amulet tightly. Concentrating, he focused on mental clarity for himself through the Mask, while simultaneously powering up the amulet. In a flash of heavenly light, he opened his eyes to see the truth.

He was standing at the opening of a cave. Well, not so much a cave, as it was a large opening that lead into the tree, which now seemed much less friendly. But that was nothing compared to Sakura. Her hair was still pink, and her eyes still green, but that was the only thing about her that remained the same as it had in life. The rest of her body was made of wood. A dark brown wood, similar to the rest of the tree. Her fingers and toes ended in points, and intricate ruins seemed to be carved all over her bark-like flesh. She wasn't actually standing either, instead, she was being held up by a large tentacle connected to her back, which kept her floating in the air, like a large puppet.

_**"What's wrong Naruto? Am I truly so unappealing now?" **_the not-quite-Sakura asked. Where before the voice had been a perfect match for his teammate (though maybe a bit too gentle and soft), this sounded like it was coming from a grainy filter. _**"You really know how to break a girl's heart Naruto" **_she said, a maliciousness creeping into her voice.

Suddenly, the root beneath his feet thrashed upwards, launching him forward toward the not-Sakura. It grinned, its arms wide, ready to accept him. He turned in midair, his metal arm slamming into her even as her branch like arms sought to wrap around him. He head-butted her, his Mask cracking her wooden forehead. Slipping an arm free, he quickly slashed his Ninjato, severing the vine from her back, sending them tumbling to the ground. Rolling her off him, he was surprised to see that the entire inside of the tree was hollow, with the exception of a large pink seed in the middle. Looking back down at Sakura, he saw that she had shriveled up, and before his very eyes, had turned to dust. He sighed, knowing that was only going to make it harder for the amulet to fix her. Luckily, that hadn't been nearly as hard as he had thought-oh crud.

_**"That was so mean Naruto" **_

_**"But I have to admit, I do like it when you get rough" **_

_**"And if one of me isn't enough to satisfy you…" **_

_**"What if you took all of us?" **_

Naruto turned from the not-Sakura's body, to see the entire hollowed out tree filled with Sakuras. And not in the good way like in that totally innocent, totally not perverted dream he'd had that time during the training trip with Pervy Sage. All of them had razor sharp fingers, all of them had razor sharp teeth, and all of them looked like the they really, really, wanted to use those on him.

Kami how he hated Hell.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The first thing to do was obviously summon a swarm of Shadow Clones. The number of replicas was so great, some of them spilled out the opening and onto the roots outside. Thankfully, that didn't stop either side from going to war with each other.

The Sakuras swooped down like psychotic monkeys ready to rend flesh from bone. The Narutos responded with burning swords and lighting coated kamas. Sadly, the lightning had little effect on the wooden constructs, as the surge of electricity traveled through their wooden frames away from their bodies. But the fire seemed to work rather well. But every time a body was nearly consumed by fire, the tentacle attached to it would hurl the burnt husk away from itself and towards the Narutos.

One of the Narutos who had been standing near the center thought he had the right idea, and had been focusing power into his Mask for nearly the entirety of the fight. Just when he couldn't hold it any more, he channeled the power in the Sakura's direction, and let it go. In a flash of pinkish violet light, he focused all his love for Sakura towards the constructs, hoping that would be enough to undo the hate she was currently under.

For a moment, it seemed to work, as every Sakura stopped dead in their tracks. Then, as one, they turned and looked at the Naruto responsible_** "Did you just try and cure us through the power of love?" **_One of the Sakura's asked incredulously.

The Naruto scratched his head "Uh… maybe?" he responded hopefully. The next second one of the Sakura's had fired off her own hand like a shotgun blast and struck him dead in the chest, tearing a hole through it, and popping it instantly.

And from there the battle resumed. It seemed like the Sakuras were gaining the upper hand though, due to the fact that they kept coming. No matter how many he destroyed, it seemed that three more were there to take their place. And while he could easily keep up the stream of clones, that seemed counter-productive, as it would only waste chakra.

Finally, when the number of clones was down to a few dozen, another clone seemed to hit on a particularly successes full idea. Using the Gourd, he had conjured a massive wave of ice and clod to engulf a swarm of Sakuras. The frost was amazingly affective on the plant girl, as the clinging cold seeped up through the vine, numbing the tree and making it slow to respond. And while one clone couldn't utilize much of the Gourd's power, a lot of them working in tandem could certainly do the trick.

From there the tide had turned again, as the Narutos froze the Sakura's by the hundreds, their shocked faces shattering as they fell to the floor. More and more budded out of the vines, but they fell just as quickly as their sisters. Soon, the only Sakuras left were the ones high up in the tree, next to the beating core/heart. Naruto was about to yell up to Sakura, hoping to use one of his patented speeches. However, before he got the chance, he heard a loud banging, followed by the Sakuras laughing at him. Turning, Naruto saw nothing to laugh at, until he remembered the amulet. He and clones flashed the amulet, and removed the illusion they'd been put under unawares.

The entrance to the tree had closed. They were trapped inside with the Sakuras. And where before the Sakuras had been few in number and far out of reach, now they were again an army, and they surrounded the small party of Narutos. What was worse, was each was giving off a smoky pink spore, which also drifted down from the heart above.

One of the Narutos closer to the Sakuras had the misfortune to breath in the spores. He quickly collapsed as the plant spores absorbed the moisture in his lungs, growing at a rapid rate and causing his chest to burst. The wriggling plant spawn hit the wood floor, already growing into another Sakura. The other Narutos backed away, waving their amulets for protection. But they could not save themselves from the poison and stop the Sakuras at the same time. One by one, the Sakuras picked them off, either slicing them to bits or stalling them long enough for the poison to kill them.

As the last Naruto lay gasping on the ground, the Sakuras circled him _**"Oh Naruto" **_they cooed _**"Even in death you're still a failure. To get this far, and get beaten all because you weren't smart enough to think ahead" **_they tutted disapprovingly _**"Have your travels taught you nothing?" **_they asked cruelly, their pointed teeth clicking with each word.

Naruto gave a wheezing gasp, before falling on his back. As he did, he looked the closet Sakura in the eye and said "More then you might think" and popped out of existence.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

He had substituted himself with one of the clones left on the outside of the tree as soon as he saw the poison falling down. He'd kept the clones outside around for just such an occasion. His original intention had been to destroy the obvious core of the tree, which more then likely was actually Sakura, assuming the entire tree wasn't her new Hell-Form. When that clearly stopped being a viable option, he'd run over possible alternatives in his head. And so far, he'd only managed to come up with one. Though if it worked, and assuming it didn't kill him with it, it was sure to earn him the victory.

That was why he was now running along the underside of the tree. He figured, he could destroy the stone support column that held up the massive tree, he could plunge it into the river, destroying it. At least, that was the plan.

A plan which became much harder as the wood he was running on shuddered, and hundreds of Sakuras sprouted around him. Some came at him with claws, others with poison, both wanted to kill him. He bought himself a little time when he used his Mask to unleash a burst of primal fear amongst them. Some fled in terror, others froze in shock. That gave him plenty of time to launch a burning kama and carve a swath of fire through their ranks.

The sight of their comrades burning got their attention, but by then it was too late. He summoned two clones once he was in throwing distance, and had them create a Rasenshuriken. Once it was laced with divine power, he had them cover him from the now frantic Sakuras. They only lasted about three seconds each, but that was good enough.

With a heave, the deadly typhoon sphere smashed headlong into the support beam, shattering it to splinters in seconds. For a moment, all was still, the next, gravity reared its head the great tree groaned in protest. Though it had a great many roots buried in the rocks on both sides of the bloody river, it wasn't enough to hold up its great weight. With a rumble like a coming earthquake, the mighty Sakura tree fell down towards the river.

As the Sakuras shot off to try and secure the great Sakura tree from crashing, Naruto was busy working on his escape. Making a Rasengan in each hand, he blew the ground out from under him, and jumped back into the hollow part of the tree, taking care not to breath the poison that rushed to greet him. He experienced some weightlessness as his momentum pushed him upwards and gravity pulled the tree down. Using his Kama, he pulled himself towards the wall of the tree, which he also took out with a well timed Rasengan.

Now free of the plant, he grappled his way to the other side of the river, and found himself a safe ledge. Looking down, he saw the mighty tree hit the waves of blood with a tremendous splash. One by one, the roots burned away, and the bark of the tree blackened and charred. The once beautiful petals blew away quickly, leaving the tree bare. In moments, the tree would be completely submerged (leading Naruto to wonder just how deep it was).

Just before it went under, a large object shot from the center. It was the 'heart' he had seen earlier. It had jettisoned itself from danger, and was now coming his way. Leaping from danger, Naruto watched as what he realized was a giant seed slammed into the spot he had just been standing.

Cautiously approaching it, Naruto felt the amulet grow warm, and he knew what he needed to do. Pressing the sacred item against the hard shell of the seed, Naruto channeled all his power into it. The seed glowed as it took in his power, before cracking right in half. With a groan, the two halves fell away, leaving a stunned, very tired looking Sakura Haruno.

As she looked at him, she gasped, as though coming out of a dream. She nearly tackled him as she wrapped her arms around him _"Naruto! Thank Kami you're alright!" _she said as she started to sob into his shoulder _"I had the most terrible dreams while I was in there… I dreamed you would never come for me… I should have know better" _she said, looking at him with tear filled eyes.

Naruto just nodded, know that right now was not the time for jokes. He listened as Sakura explained that centaurs had dragged her from her hiding cave by the river, and stuffed her in the giant seed. She told him how it had crept into her mind… he'd stopped her before she broke down again, having to retell something so awful.

Before he could offer to send her onward, she pulled him over to the edge of the cliff. Raising her hand, she closed her eyes. _"I still have a little power left… let me use it to help you forward" _she whispered. And just like that, a bridge of vines broke from the ground, leading downwards towards a small hidden road. If you weren't specifically looking for it, it was likely you'd never find it.

With that done, she sagged back into his arms. Before she could protest, he opened the Portal for her, and got ready to push her through. Just before he did, she turned in his arms, and gave him a peck on the cheek. There wasn't meant to be a romantic sentiment to it, but it was the only way she knew to show her appreciation for him at the time.

_"Thank you Naruto… you'd better come out of this okay… or I swear I'll clobber you!" _she said as the Portal closed, shaking her fist at him humorously. Naruto just chuckled and waved, before hurrying down the bridge.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

As soon as he landed in front of the road, Naruto felt a terrible chill overtake him. It was suddenly so dark, as a creepy fog clung to the air just above the ground, twisting and swirling in an unseen breeze. On the faintest edge of his hearing, Naruto could swear he heard the cries of utmost sorrow and regret coming from just beyond the forest's path.

_**"Go back." **_a heavy, old voice said, making Naruto jump. Turning, he was surprised to see Danzo standing in the shadows of the cliffside, right near the blood river's edge. Naruto had to admit, he was tempted to try and shove the old bastard in. _**"Go back, Naruto." **_Danzo said again, leaning heavily on his cane. _**"Trust me… from one shinobi to another… you're not ready for this." **_he said, his voice a horse whisper.

Naruto frowned, surprised at the message. However, he quickly dismissed it "I would hardly consider you a fellow shinobi… traitor" he spat the word out like the curse it was "Besides… I have faced down everything this place has thrown at me… this will be no different." he said, confidence returning to his voice.

Danzo resisted the urge to roll his visible eye at the boy. What a fool he was, to think it made any difference if he was able to save his little friends. Focusing, he could tell that Zetsu had grown to the upper levels of this circle, and would soon breach the sixth. Sadly, it was much harder for the plant man to grow down, as his body kept freezing. The Heresy Demon had been forced to halt smashing its masters chains in order to constantly defrost the tortured foliage.

Focusing on Naruto, he shrugged _**"Suite yourself child… it will be your own undoing" **_his gaze went over Naruto's shoulder, where a ghostly figure was approaching _**"The Kyubi… how curious to see you back down here of all places… how interesting…" **_Danzo trailed off, vanishing into purple smoke, leaving Naruto alone with Kyubi.

Naruto shook off his encounter with the old bastard, and was ready for whatever the Kyubi had to say. It also helped that it kept him from going into the creepy forest…

Kyubi, who had been staring at the spot where Danzo had stood, turned sad eyes onto Naruto _" One may lay violent hands upon one's self." _she started off, her voice low and soft _"And therefore in this place… those who deprived themselves of their lives… repent in vain." _she said.

Naruto blinked at the vague yet somber statement "Kyubi… what exactly lies ahead?" he asked, wanting to be very clear about what he was walking into.

Kyubi just looked at him for a long time; before shaking her head _"Look well!" _she said briskly _"And you will see things that make my words… incredible" _and with that, she started to fade.

Naruto, by now somewhat used to these often useless conversations, moved to head into the forest. But before he could, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Turning, he was surprised to see the Kyubi, half-formed looking intently at him _"If I may give you this one bit of advice before you proceed." _her voice was more serious then anything Naruto had heard her say before _"Whatever you do… don't leave the main road. If you do, you may never find your way back." _she warned. And with a flash, she was gone.

Naruto gulped, before setting his shoulders. He'd been in deadly forests before, and this would be no different. So, holding his Amulet like a torch, he marched onward, praying to Kami the place wasn't as bad as Danzo and Kyubi had made it out to be.

_-Naruto In Hell-** A Friend In Need**_

Naruto cautiously moved forward along the forest path, the words of both the Kyubi and then Danzo not helping his moral. The place was truly abominable, with twisting dagger like thorns all over the place. The trees had actual faces that seemed to peer out at him… at least the ones that weren't preoccupied with weeping the most depressing sounds he'd ever heard. And the way the trees were shaped, they thew up shadows so terrifying, Naruto wouldn't be surprised if the leapt out and attacked him. Which, given where he was, they probably could.

Hearing a rustling coming from his left, Naruto leapt back and readied himself. He'd been joking about the whole 'shadows' thing, but if it was true, then he'd be ready. The rustling grew closer, when something shot from the brambles and stumbled, collapsing at Naruto's feet. It was only when it looked up and made eye-contact with Naruto that Naruto stopped his arm from lopping its head off.

"Kankuro?" he asked, surprised. There in the dirt was the middle desert sibling, looking quite the worse for wear. His black cat-suit was torn to shreds, likely from running through the thorny undergrowth. His make up (or kabuki war paint if you wanted to be annoyingly specific) was smeared and faded. And his puppet, which was normally on his back, was nowhere to be found. All that combined with the wild look in Kankuro's eyes, meant that whatever had been chasing him must have been quite the sight.

Kankuro scrambled to his feet, and grabbed Naruto by his shoulders _"Naruto! Thank Kami! You have to help me!" _he cried. Before Naruto could even open his mouth to ask 'form what/' the 'what' in question burst from the brambles.

It was three of the uglies dogs Naruto had ever seen. They weren't really so much dogs as they were wolves, but really it was all semantics at that point. They were about four feet tall, with midnight black skin, and razor sharp teeth and claws. The things were emaciated, with every bone visible through their flesh. Their eyes glowed a sickly yellow, and their drool slopped from their mouth to the ground, where it rapidly ate a hole in the road.

Before he could yell 'What the hell are those?' they leapt at him and Kankuro. One went right for him, but he managed to put his metal arm out to defend himself. The beast knocked him to the ground and tried to bite through his arm, but the metal of the Sixth Circle wasn't going to give.

While it was difficult to do from his position Naruto lashed out with his Kama blade, aiming to hit the two dogs that were head for Kankuro. The blade decapitated the first, but the second managed to twist in the air to avoid the lethal attack. The hound knocked Kankuro to the ground and then bite into his heel. Kankuro screamed in pain and fear as the beast rapidly backtracked into the woods. Kankuro tried everything to keep from going, but only succeeded in leaving a series of scratches where his fingernails dug into the ground. It would have been funny were the situation not so serious.

Naruto was finally able to nuke the dog on top of him with a well placed burst, then leapt to his feet. Even though he knew he wasn't supposed to leave the path, he also knew he couldn't just let Kankuro die. So without hesitation, he created a shield around him and ran after Kankuro and the Hell Hound.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It was nearly impossible to see where he was going, but luckily Kankuro's screams made following him easy. After what seemed like hours of running, Naruto finally burst into a clearing. In the center was Kankuro, but the dog was gone. Kankuro was still thrashing like something was attacking him though, and for some reason, a sickly yellow smoke was rising out of the wound on his leg. The smoke quickly spread to the rest of Kankuro, whose thrashings grew still, and his screams quiet.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, now a sickly yellow, with red irises. He levitated back to his feet, his gaze on Naruto.

_"My apologies for the outburst Naruto. I'm afraid the experience I went through was a bit traumatic. Don't worry though, I'm sure I'll get over it." _Kankuro said. His body began to shift, and Naruto knew a demonic transformation was only seconds away.

Just like he had with his sister, Naruto whipped out the magic talisman. But before he could get the chance to heal the puppeteer, something thin and blue sliced across his flesh, leaving a searing pain across his body. Naruto hissed and stumbled back, looking at a somewhat smug Kankuro. _"Sorry about that" _he said, not sounding like it at all _"But I couldn't let you take me out before the real fun started, now could I?" _he chuckled, a dark sound which echoed in the clearing.

Putting two fingers to his mouth, Kankuro let out a shrill whistle, so loud and piercing, Naruto had to hold his ears to block out the nose. When it finally stopped, Naruto could hear a rustling coming from all sides of him. Kankuro jumped back, stretching his fingers. _"Now then, things are about to get interesting." _

Naruto sighed, he knew what that meant: things are about to get difficult and life threatening.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

From the clearing emerged more Hell Hounds, the air loud with the sounds of their gnashing teeth. But the dogs did not come alone this time… the brought friends.

Shuffling on the legs that had once carried them to battle, and decked out in rusting armor, came the fallen Samurai. In life, they had been skilled warriors, masters of the blade. But somehow or another, each was driven to Senpaku, the art of the 'honorable' suicide. Now they roamed the second ring of the seventh circle, forever denied rest. Their long weary journey through the agonizing brambles of thorns has made them mindlessly mad. Now, all they knew was fighting.

At first, Naruto had to wonder how much of a threat these Samurai could be. After all, they were slow, shuffling, flimsy corpses wielding dull rusty swords. He got why the Hell Hounds were a threat, they were fast, mauling machines with acid saliva. What was Kankuro thinking.

He got his answer a moment later, when Kankuro stretched out now freakishly long arms. The Hell Hounds leapt into action, meant to be a diversion to keep Naruto from interfering. From Kankuro's fingers flew pitch black chakra strings. The strings snaked through the air until they connected with the Samurai's back. As they did, the former warriors seemed to straighten, and their armor and weapons seemed to brighten. With twitch of the Puppet Master's finger, the soldiers blurred forward to kill Naruto.

But Naruto wasn't to be taken so easily. With speed honed through constant combat in Hell, Naruto deflected the lightning fast blows three of the Samurai hammered him with, pushing them back. In the moment before they attacked again, he spun, igniting his Kama blade and skewering a few of the Hell Hounds as they tried to flank him. Mid turn he raised his Cestus, using its metal as a shield against a sneak attack by one of the Samurai. As his blade bounced off, Naruto hit him in the gut with a Holy Chakra attack. The magic tore a cannonball sized hole in his gut, and Naruto noted the look of relief in the former-man's eyes as his body disintegrated.

Kankuro growled in frustration as he tried to heard Naruto around with the Samurai. The object was to keep Naruto distracted while the Hell Hounds snuck behind him to maul him to death. But the blond brat seemed wise to him, and he wasn't making any progress. Something new was in order. With a tug of his arms, he sent the Samurai flying skyward, disconnecting the strings as he did so. While Naruto looked surprised at his action, he brought his arms down towards Naruto, keeping up his chakra strings. The black energy left deep scores in the earth, tearing up the ground like a giant, razor-coated, whip. Naruto rolled out of the way, but two of his Hell Hounds wound up butchered by his attack.

Kankuro was about to try for another pass, but before he did, he locked eyes with Naruto, whose face was now covered in a Golden Mask. Suddenly, he couldn't move! A fear he hadn't known since the first time he'd watched Gaara slaughter someone filled his heart, and just like that he couldn't move. Then instinct took over, and the horrible dark voice in the back of his head moved his body for him. He leapt towards Naruto, spinning like a top in the air, his chakra strings lacerating everything around him.

Its somehow enough to block the awful white hot energy that comes from Naruto's crystal, and the golden beads he fires bounce off like gnats. But it does slow him down enough that he'll easily avoid the strings, so it looks like its the claws for his former friend. Landing with enough force to make the ground shake, he lashes out, but Naruto manages to stop his downward strike easily with one hand. He tried to use his other hand for a sweeping attack, but Naruto's iron arm stops that just as easily. Then before he can leap back, Naruto's crystal become blinding, and there is no time to dodge.

Naruto watched in grim satisfaction as Kankuro is knocked off his feet, spinning end over in to smash into a tree at the opposite end of the clearing. But the fight is not over yet. There are still Hell Hounds to take care off, and the Samurai, though disoriented by their rough landing, and now lacking the strings which provided them speed, are still a viable threat.

His Golden Prayer Beads take care of the Samurai, piercing their skulls and shattering their bones, the undead warriors fall like toy soldiers with their windup keys taken out. The Hell Hounds present a more difficult challenge, as they are too fast for his beads to lock onto. But, remembering a trick his clones had bulled back in Anger, Naruto produces his Gourd. A popped cork and a muttered word, and a strong wind suddenly picks up the demonic pooches. A few seconds later, they are gone; leaving Naruto alone with Kankuro.

Before the gangly teen can right himself, Naruto had already placed the Amulet in front of him, and was already restoring his body to proper order. In moments, Kankuro had shrunk back to the proper size, lost his claws, and even had his jumpsuit and make fixed. Gotta love mystic healing Amulets.

After Kankuro was feeling more like himself, Naruto asked the obvious "What are you doing in a place like this?"

Kankuro sighed _"When I woke up after the big explosion, I was on the bank of that blood river. I didn't see away across, so I figured I'd try the other path. It lead me to this fucked up forest, and before I knew how it happened, I'd gotten turned around several times, and was being hunted by a pack of those Hell Hounds." _he explained.

"Why didn't you just wait for someone to come get you?" Naruto asked, though he already had a pretty good idea.

Kankuro shook his head _"I had to try and find Temari and Gaara. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to them and I could've prevented it." _

Naruto just nodded "Well I've already seen Temari, she's fine. I moved her on. I still haven't seen Gaara though, but I promise to save him too. Believe it!" Naruto said, giving Kankuro a thumbs up. Kankuro cringed but Naruto ignored it "And now its time to send you on your way too." he said, opening the Portal behind Kankuro.

Kankuro looked like he wanted to protest, but the look in Naruto's eye was enough to shut him up. Heaving a sigh, he turned to use the Portal. Just before he left, he looked Naruto right in the eye _"Please just make sure my brother is okay. You're one of the few people he really admires, so if anyone can help him, you could." _and without waiting for a response, Kankuro vanished.

Naruto nodded silently, promising himself that he would never allow a comrade to fall behind as long as he could save them. Now then… he looked around, realizing he was now very far from the main road, something Kyubi had explicitly told him **not **to do. Giving a shrug and sighing, Naruto held up his Amulet like a flashlight, and turned to where he thought he had entered the clearing. With a silent prayer for Kami to guide him to his destination, he set out once again.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

From the shadows, Danzo's frown deepened. He had known the Hell Hounds and the Puppeteer would be unlikely to kill the boy, but he had hoped they would slow him down more then they had. Very well, time to line up the next challenge for the boy…

_-Naruto In Hell- **Oh, there you are. **  
_

After a lot more stumbling around (seriously, where was Kyubi to point the way for him when he needed her), Naruto finally found his way back to the clearing. Only it wasn't the clearing he had been in before, but instead an entirely different clearing. So it was official, he was totally and completely lost.

Just as he was about to throw up his hands in exasperation, he realized he wasn't alone in the clearing. Just opposite him, sitting besides a small campfire, sat his sensei, Kakashi Hatake, and a man who bore a remarkable resemblance to him.

"Is that you Kakashi-sensei?" he called out. No sense in not being careful after all.

The man looked up, and gave him an eye-smile that only one person ever had _**"Oh! Hello there Naruto! How nice to see you. Come, sit" **_he said pleasantly, beckoning to the seat beside him. Naruto did as asked, though moving with caution, lest he be attacked by someone he cared about again.

_**"Naruto, this is my father." **_Kakashi introduced, as though he didn't notice his students hesitance _**"So how have you been Naruto? You must have had quite the journey to have gotten this far" **_he said, never losing his eye smile. _**"Please, tell me about them, I'd love to here about how my little student is doing." **_

Naruto blinked, but proceeded to tell his tale. It was a nice break from constantly dealing with things that were trying to kill him. So he told his tale, from the gates of Hell all the way up to Sakura and Kankuro. Kakashi and his father were excellent listeners, nodding in the right places, and occasionally asking for clarification about certain topics. Kakashi was a bit dubious about trusting the Kyubi with anything, but ultimately decided it was Naruto's decision.

"And right now I'm hopelessly lost. Though I guess it is good I found you two." Naruto finished.

_**"That it is, more then you know. The main road is that way." **_Kakashi's father, Sakumo, said, pointing slightly east of Naruto's current position. _**"Go through those trees and avoid the samurai's and hell hounds, and you should be fine." **_he said.

"Oh, is that all" Naruto said, standing. Taking out his amulet he grinned "Can I interest you two in a little redemption?" he asked cheekily.

Kakashi turned to his father _**"You've certainly served your time here, father. What do you say you and I move this conversation to a more festive atmosphere." **_he asked.

Sakumo grinned at Naruto and his son _**"It would be nice to see your mother again. Kami knows how displeased she'll be at us for being so late in getting there." **_the two men shuddered comically. Turning to Naruto, they nodded.

He opened the portal, and Sakumo was the first one in after quick 'thank you'. He had been in Hell long enough, and had no desire to stay another minute.

Kakashi stopped though, and turned to his student _**"Thank you Naruto. You have made me so proud. You were a better student then I could have ever hoped. I know that if your father could be here now, he'd say the same thing." **_Kakashi said, his eyes misting slightly _**"Go get'em Naruto." **_

And with that, he was gone.

Naruto bowed his head, taking in his sensei's words. They were just the pick me up he needed. With steel in his gaze, he charged forwards, ready for the next challenge.

_-Naruto In Hell- **Going Out With A Bang**  
_

Naruto did as he was told, following the path set before him by Sakumo and Kakashi. He had managed to avoid the two squads of Samurai he had encountered, due to them being far to slow to be any threat. The only Hell Hound he'd seen was quickly dealt with. Finally, the main road was in sight.

But just as he was about to set foot on it, a black mist swirled around him. _**"If you are so eager to do things the hard way, and march towards your death, Uzumaki, I will gladly assist you!" **_Danzo's voice growled from beyond the fog. Naruto felt himself lifting off the ground, and away from the safety of the main road. _**"The simplest way is sometimes the best way." **_Danzo said _**"I'll simply drop you in the river of blood and be done with you. No more of these time wasting challenges, simply killing you and ending it!" **_Naruto began to actually feel fear… until he saw his Amulet glowing.

Grabbing it, he felt away from him as it let loose a blinding flash, and Danzo's voice became much fainter. The shadows shifted away from him, and Naruto could see… he was also falling; but at least it wasn't into hot molten blood.

He was in a grove of weeping willows, all of various shapes and sizes. As he dusted himself off, he thought he heard Danzo chuckling. Readying himself for another attack from the shadows, Naruto nearly jumped out of his pants as he was addressed by a voice from above:

_"Are you one of my fans… have you come to visit, the greatest artist the world has ever known…" _a vaguely familiar voice asked, its tone tinted with deranged madness. Looking up, Naruto watched as something vaguely human lowered itself before him.

"Deidara…?" Naruto asked looking repulsed at the strange creature before him. It looked human, but similar in the way Sakura had been plant like. But where as her wood was vibrant and alive, this was clearly dead and rotting. From Deidara's neck was a long vine which lead upwards into the tree; making Deidara looked like a mutant hangman.

With a sigh like mist creeping in through a crack in a door, Naruto felt more then saw the Kyubi as its essence swept around him. She did not fully materialize, but her voice carried all the same.

_"When a soul quits a body from which it has uprooted itself, Minos judges it to the Seventh Circle. There, it sprouts; shoots up like a sapling. No body… only the pain. For it is unjust that __**any**__ soul posses that of which it has __**robbed **__itself! _

_"Robbed? HA!" _Deidara cackled madly, swinging widely on his noose. _"It was all worth it thought! With my death, I left a mark on the Elemental Nations that will never be forgotten! Isn't that right boy!" _Deidara yelled looking at Naruto with bulging eyes.

Naruto snorted, in no mood to play games with the deceased Akatsuki member. "Not really. The world kinda just ended remember? There is no one left alive to remember you." he said.

Deidara froze, the idea having never occurred to him that he might be forgotten. _"No one left… no… no that can't be… that's not fair!" _Deidara cried. Then he got a look on his face that always spelled trouble for our hero _"Then if no one up there remembers me… then I'll just have to make sure that __**everyone **__down here learns…" _Deidara opened his palms, showing two glowing pustules, which spat some glowing gunk in Naruto's direction.

_**"ART IS A BANG!" **_

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto rolled out of the way of the glowing gunk, forming a shield for good measure. It exploded against the ground with enough force to shake the earth, and throw up a cloud of debris. Naruto watched as a laughing Deidara was drawn higher into the air by his noose, cackling all the way. Even as he did, tiny droplets of orange juice hit the ground, and took the shape of spiders, all of them looking at Naruto. Kami's warrior was just about open fire on the nasty things, when Murphy decided to heap something else upon our hero.

The explosion was what had attracted them, and promise of suffering (any kind would do) was what drew them in. They came, chittering like monkeys to the fight, and surrounded the make-shift arena.

"What the-" was all Naruto could make out as he looked at the creatures that were starting to swarm the battlefield.

They looked like a cross between a human and an ape. Their skin was grey and riddled with scars. Not just scars though, but also foot long spins. They were the Tormented Ones. Those who, in life, had taken great pleasure in marring their own flesh. In fact, many had taken that pleasure so far that it was what caused them to end up here in the first place. But rather then turn into a tree like the other suicides, they were often transformed into the bushes through which the Hell Hounds and Samurai trounced, having to endure the pain of having their branches and thorns broken overtime something stepped on them or through them. It often drove them mad, until they uprooted themselves in search of the only thing the could desire anymore: release. If their was even the slightest possibility of death, they would go to it. But if what they found could not satisfy their need… they would make it suffer as they had. They were the reason the Samurai and Hell Hounds instinctively traveled in packs.

One Tormented leapt at Naruto, who reacted by hurling his Kama right at it. The blade pierced the man creatures brain, and was hurled across the way into several of the orange spiders. Whether it was the force of the impact, the Tormented's needles, or the Spider's own nature, but the result was a large explosion, which triggered a chain reaction amongst the other spiders, causing all of them to detonate one after the other. Naruto didn't have time to make a full shield, and was tossed head long towards more Tormented.

The ape-like creatures took some swipes at him, but he managed to defend himself with his Cestus. He managed to punch one Tormented right in one of its spikes, driving it through the heart, killing it. The Tormented gave a grateful smile, before disintegrating into nothingness.

Its fellows tried to dog pile him, but he quickly surrounded himself with a Divine Tempest, which sent the Tormented dancing around and jerking about as electricity coursed through their veins. Sadly this display distracted Naruto, as he didn't notice a swarm of gray moths flying towards them before it was too late.

Thankfully, between the armor and the Tormented trying to get at him, the force of the explosion didn't kill him outright. He was knocked to the ground however, and he was pretty sure a rib or two had been broken. The only good thing to come out of it though was that over half of the Tormented were now missing their heads, meaning that some of the threat had been neutralized.

A hissing sound drew his attention, and he watched as red glowing snakes slithered their way towards him. He considered using his Mask, but realized nothing in the clearing had enough of a mind to listen to it. And right now he didn't have time to draw his Gourd, and even if he did, he wouldn't know what to call on. This meant he was forced to surround himself in a protective bubble, and watch as the carpet of snakes encircle it. He really hoped he had enough power for this…

**BOOOOOMMMMMM!**

The forest shook, and the few Tormented left were blown back, their bodies broken beyond repair, as the explosion wrought by Deidara's madness leveled part of the Forest of Suicides.

Deidara just grinned, he'd known that would do it. He may not have been able to use his C4 or C3, but his new body could make glorious explosions all the same. He was just glad his 'fruit' was incapable of harming his own tree. He wasn't ready to go out like that again, thank you very much.

He wondered if there was anything left of the brat who dared say he was forgotten. With a thought, the vine which was connected to his neck lowered him to the ground, allowing him to survey the carnage up close and personal.

Just as he was close to Ground Zero, and the smoke began to clear, he was bombarded with annoying Golden Beads. They bit at his skin and tore through his flesh, but still he did not die. If anything, he only got madder.

_"Why won't you die!" _he screamed in rage, furious that his art had yet to end his foe. His response? A Kama sliced deep into the noose around his neck. _"GAAAHHH! You bastard! I'll kill you if its the last thing I do!" _he yelled readying more explosives in his palms. The response? With a single tug, Naruto severed the noose, dropping Deidara from his tree.

Deidara hit the ground like a fish out of water, stumbling around, gasping for air. Ironically, he could only survive while attached to his tree. Off of it, he would slowly suffocate to death. Hell is funny that way. Well… perhaps not so much funny, as needlessly cruel. Deidara hurled explosive gel this way and that, covering the field with it, but was now so weak he didn't have the strength to shape it, let alone detonate it.

Naruto sighed as he watched Deidara fall to his knees, gasping. He figured now was a good time to end things. Hurling his Kama, be buried it in Deidara's heart. But still, Deidara lived… so he did the natural thing, and channeled a bit of Divine Tempest down the chain.

Now this had an interesting effect. Naruto had learned that, while alive, Deidara's explosives could be deactivated by exposing them to electricity. He had electrified his Kama, thinking the same thing applied, despite the fact that Deidara was significantly less alive now then he had been when he'd learned that. Now… sadly, Naruto was very much mistaken. In fact, the opposite was true. Because, when the destructive fruit of Deidara's tree was exposed to electricity… they exploded. With great force.

Deidara's mouth opened in a silent scream, as his entire body ignited with the force of one of his more powerful explosions. The force was so great that it threw off some of the sparks that were electrifying him, igniting the puddles of explosive gel around him.

Soon, the whole forest around them was in flames as the fire from the explosions spread. Naruto did the only sensible thing he could: Run. He ran blindly, praying that Kami would guide him to his destination.

Ten steps into his run, he tripped. Looking down, he was somewhat disgusted to see he had tripped over part of Deidara. But looking closer, he saw that it was one of the pods that had produced his exploding gel. Just like in the past, he felt compelled to pick it up. It was smooth to the touch, and surprisingly cold.

Another explosion behind him reminded him of the importance of running. So, without further thought to the fruit in his hand (which he stuck with his other weapons for safe keeping) he took off.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto became aware he was out of danger pretty quickly. About as quickly as the sudden and drastic change in the weather around him. Where before the forest had been surprisingly cold and dank, he was now surrounded by a dry heat that made him cough. And while the air had been thick with fog, he found it had given way to… sand?

Naruto took a good look around him as he walked, and saw, to his surprise, the forest give way to ancient ruins surrounded by a vast desert. Looking up, he even saw a blinding sun baring down on the land, heating the land to unnaturally hot temperatures.

_"Well, the way you got here was rather unorthodox, but I suppose it works." _he heard from his left. Looking, he saw the Kyubi, sheltered under what looked like the ruins of a temple, glaring at him. _"Was I not clear when I said to stay on the main road?" _she asked with a sneer, her voice full of scorn for him.

Naruto sighed, figuring this was coming "I know… but I saw one of my friends get dragged off the beaten path, and I had to save him!" he defended himself "Besides, I got here didn't I? Isn't that what counts?"

Kyubi's glare did not lessen _"Your foolishness will be the death of you yet Uzumaki." _she whispered harshly. But then, like a light switch, her face changed to a smile, something Naruto found disconcerting _"But I suppose you are correct. You are here now, and that is what matters." _

Naruto just nodded slowly "And where exactly is 'here'?" he said, referring to the sandstorm going on just outside the temple.

_"Violence may be done against the deity; by denying him in the heart." _she warned, her hand clasped over her crimson bosom.

Naruto just nodded. "Yeah… the vengeance of Kami is to be feared, isn't it?" And it was true. Despite being all loving and forgiving, Kami certainly knew how to make some very painful looking punishments.

Kyubi chuckled, as though she found something funny, though she didn't share what _"The seven kings who besieged the Elemental nations in a bygone age reside here." _she said, pointing out to some point in the dessert that Naruto could not see _"They feared not that vengeance." _As she started to fade, she again offered Naruto a bit of advice _"The sand out there is hotter then any mortal can bare. Do NOT touch it under any circumstances. Do try not to ignore this advice won't you?" _and then she was gone.

Naruto could only brace himself for the heat, then head out across the path of rubble, and hope to Kami nothing to disastrous happened this time.

Silly Naruto…

_-Naruto In Hell-  
_

It wasn't long after starting his trek through this barren wasteland that Naruto heard the familiar cries of a shade in need. After all he'd been through, a simple judgement sounded like a joy. So, moving quickly over the ruins, he found his way to the location of the shade.

The shade was perched on a platform high off the ground, quivering in fear of what was below. And for good reason it turned out. Circling his platform like a school of sharks were what looked like medieval knight! However, like the samurai before them, their armor was rusted and their swords broken and worn. These crusaders might not be much of a threat to someone like Naruto, but to the shade, they were obviously still deadly.

Before charging into the thick of the soldiers, Naruto had an idea. Reaching into his pocket, Naruto produced the fruit he'd taken from Deidara. Unsure what to do, he channeled some chakra into the plant, and watched as it opened like a flower. Turning the plant over, several glowing seeds fell out of it, each one bright as a star.

Having a pretty good idea of what was about to happen, he whistled to get the zombies attention. When they heard the noise, they turned towards him. Seeing a supposedly easy target, they charged towards him. To which Naruto responded by simply tossing the handful of seeds into their ranks.

The effect was immediate. Where once their had been an attacking legion, there was now a brilliant orange mushroom cloud. A second later, a few icky bits of zombie rained down to the ground, and the clatter of swords and armor echoed as they hit the dirt.

Naruto grinned; that had been surprisingly easy. Not only that, but the mushroom cloud had been orange! Explosions, and Orange! It was like this weapon had been made for him!

Hearing the muttering of the shade on the platform, Naruto remembered his duty, and leapt up there. Seeing the shade in the fetal position, Naruto laid his hand on its shoulder.

He saw flashes of the man's life: A man leading an army. Burning villages, kidnapping children to power suits of armor. A moving fortress. This man was Haido, the man who had sought the Stone of Gel to surpass man and god alike to create 'Utopia', which was nothing more then a dictatorship under his rule.

Naruto frowned, annoyed he had wasted his time to save this sorry excuse for a human being. Picking up the would-be dictator, Naruto tossed him off the platform and into the air. Before he reached the ground, Naruto lashed out with his Ninjato, holding the chain to guide it. The blade lacerated through evil man, and reducing his evil soul to ashes. "Retched scum." Naruto growled, hopping down.

Then, without a second glance back, he continued out into the sandstorm.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto winced, hating the feeling of burning ash and sand as it touched his face. He really wished his armor had some sort of facial covering. He could use the Mask, but that would be a waste of chakra to use outside of combat.

As he leapt from stone to stone, trying to avoid directly touching the sand that was so much like lava as much as possible, he thought he heard a faint voice on the wind. Stopping, he strained to hear against the howl of the wind. It was faint, but he was sure he heard it. He was surprised actually, normally shades didn't come this close together. After judging Haido, he hoped this next one was a better person.

_"Please… come out…" _the voice, rough and feminine pleaded with the hateful wind _"I can save you… let me help you…" _it pleaded.

Concentrating, Naruto followed the noise back to the source. There, half buried by sand behind a crumbling stone wall, was the shade of an elderly woman. What little hair she had left was white as snow, and her half lidded eyes were nearly white from old age. Touching her, Naruto was surprised when the feedback he got told him this was Granny Chiyo!

"Hey! Granny, is that really you?" what was she doing here? He supposed technically she had committed suicide, but she had died so nobly…

_"Naruto? That you my boy? Didn't think you'd be here… though I guess it make sense" _Chiyo muttered, barely lucid.

Naruto filed that comment away for further review "Granny… I'm here to save my friends… what are you doing here?" he asked, blunt as always.

Chiyo chuckled, and patted Naruto's head _"I… I came for the other jinchuriki. I knew they would have to be down here… so I came to try and save them. I just knew that if they were anywhere, they'd be here… so I figured, if I could get them all out of here, maybe I could help some of them escape this place. People like me may deserve to be here, for what we did to them, but not those poor souls." _she said, her voice sounding weak _"I managed to track them down, over there" _she shakily pointed out to a large expanse of sand _"But I can't get any closer, thanks to the heat. I've tried calling out to them, but so far, no one's answered me" _she finished sadly.

Naruto nodded, understanding Chiyo's predicament. "Don't worry Granny, I'm here now. Maybe they'll listen to me, being a fellow jinchuriki and all?" he suggested. Chiyo seemed to contemplate that, before nodding in ascent. Naruto raised his amulet, and began to open the gateway of redemption "you've done more then enough Granny Chiyo, you deserve a rest." he said firmly.

Chiyo slowly shuffled to the portal. As she entered, she looked over her shoulder at him _"My only regret, is that I didn't get to prank you whippersnappers one last time" _she cackled, making Naruto sweat-drop. He turned as the portal snapper shut, but didn't miss the whispered _"Go get'em lad" _as it did.

_-Naruto In Hell- **A Brother In Spirit**  
_

Naruto stood on a sort of cliff made of rubble that overlooked the vast expanse of sand the jinchuriki were supposedly hiding out in. Taking a deep breath, Naruto readied his amulet, then called out "My fellow Jinchuriki, it's me, Naruto Uzumaki, former vessel for the Nine-Tailed Fox! Can you hear me? Are you there?" he called out as loudly as he could.

He stood there in silence, waiting for what felt like forever. Just as he was about to move on, he heard a slight shifting of the sand.

_**"Naruto?"**_a mixture of voices called back.

"Yes! I'm here!" he answered, excited. He watched as the sand near him broke slightly, and a small golden sphere drifted upwards towards him. When it reached eye level, it turned to reveal that it was, in fact, an eyeball. Naruto recognized this as one of Gaara's recon techniques, and waved happily at the eye. The pupil dilated as the person on the other end received the information.

_**"IT IS YOU!"**_this time the voice was clearly Gaara's, sounding more then a little happy to see him. _"__**I knew you'd come! I just knew it!" **_The ground shook, and Naruto felt a heavy presence in the air that seemed to be getting closer. Meanwhile, Gaara's disembodied voice continued to ramble, sounding more and more demented with each passing second _**"I've missed you so much! You were my first real friend! You were like my brother, more so then my real brother ever was! But then death tore us apart and I couldn't find you! I was so alone, again… but then I found others"**_the voice sounded so satisfied with that statement that Naruto had trouble keeping a look of disgust off his face _"__**Others like us, who also shared our pain. They were not as good as you though… but I was able to keep us together for when you arrived"**_the voice was growing louder, and as it did a large object looked about to break from the sand dune _**"Soon… we can be together… forever!"**_Gaara's voice shifted, now sounding like more then one person was talking at the same time.

And then the thing broke the surface, and Naruto felt his mouth drop open.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

It was like the ugliest, fattest, most misshapen worm he had ever seen. The top half seemed to possess the body of the Shukaku, but with only one of of the creatures's arms. The other arm was a cat paw, which looked like it belonged on the Nibi. The other six arms served as both arms and legs, and their was one from each of the tailed beasts.

Where the head of Shukaku should be was an oval, which vaguely resembled a human head. But this head had no eyes, nose, ears, or lips. In stead, right in the center of its 'face' where eight smaller faces, arranged in a circle. These eight faces, all glassy eyed, all grinning maniacally, were the faces of the eight former Jinchuriki.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

The monster attacked, and Naruto was forced to act, kicking off his instincts before horror caused him to freeze up permanently. Nibi's massive hand sought to crush him, so he chakra leapt over it. He fired off all his Prayer Beads, but tentacles sprouted around the heads like evil pimples, and swatted them away.

He managed to land on more ruins, but he was rapidly running out of space. He turned to fire off some holy chakra, only to see the eight faces opened mouthed and charging an attack of their own: A massive Bijuu Bomb. Naruto leapt away as soon as it came at him, and covered himself in a Divine Shield for good measure. The force of a million exploding notes detonated below him, flinging him and his bubble of protection far out over the desert; with the massive worm moving to catch him.

Knowing that if he hit the lava like sand that he'd probably die or end up in too much pain to fight, Naruto summoned a swarm of clones under him to act as cushion. The moment they impacted the sheer heat of the sand forced most of them to pop. Naruto couldn't fathom the idea of having to walk this way for eternity.

Using them as a spring board Naruto launched himself towards the collective Bijuu monster, landing on the Nibi's outstretched arm. As he ran up it, the hairs on the arm rose up against him like sharpened knives, forcing him to jump away. While in the air he hurled his Kama blade, its firry steel cutting through the protective tentacles. By sheer luck it slammed right into the face of the vessel of the five-tails. With a yank he pulled himself towards the head, even as the head shrieked in agony. The entire body shook, and before Naruto's eyes, the limb belonging to the beast exploded in a mass of steam, actually damaging the side of the monster. Not only that, but the creature actually seemed to lose mass, as it started to slowly shrink in size.

This gave Naruto an idea, so he angled himself to land on the forehead, readying his Ninjato as he did. Touching the beasts skin he was forced to initiated a Blessed Tempest to keep the tentacles at bay, if only for a few seconds. But that was all he needed as he turned and rammed his Ninjato into Yugito Nii's face. The teen barely had time to scream in pain before her face was melted by the heat of his sword. Naruto back flipped over the encroaching sand and over the head, landing on the back of the neck. To his satisfaction, the beast shrank again, along with the destruction of the cat arm. It was clear that if he was going to win this fight, he was going to have to take out all the faces.

Sadly, that looked to be rather difficult. A gorilla arm suddenly sprouted where the Nibi's had been, and the entire form shook as a metamorphosis took place. Limbs shifted, body parts hardened, and what was once a worm was a now a massive beetle. Naruto was standing on in between the beetles horns, and had to chakra glue himself to the armor to keep from being blow away by the massive wings that had sprouted. A moment later, they were air born.

Before Naruto had a chance to get his bearings, he watched as the skin on the beetles back shifted, and multiple forms rise out of it. There were Knights, like from earlier, but there were others as well. Anyone who had ever committed atrocities in the name of a deity was here: Knights and Samurai, Monks and Mercenaries, even Shinobi were among there ranks. And now they would again fight for a higher power (the demon beneath their feet) to destroy its enemies (which sadly, was him).

Some of them charged him, while others hung back, waiting to strike. Those were the smart ones, who avoid the fate of there brothers. For when Naruto uncorked his Gourd he unleashed a torrent of fire which baked the sandy back of the monster he was on to glass, and fried the zombies where they stood.

The ones who had hung back were Shinobi, who proceeded to hurl shuriken at him from a distance. He fired Prayer beads at them, but they only avoided it. When he tried to use his Gourd again, their pace increased, and some came at him with Ninjatos of there own. He managed to halt them with his Mask and a healthy dose of fear, making them easy pickings for his own blade.

He saw the rest hanging back near the Beetle's large wing, no doubt planning to protect it. However, all it did was give him a lovely idea. A moment later, the Shinobi saw several tiny orange things headed there way. They prepared to deflect them-

**Boom**

They were blown apart, along with a good chunk of the wing behind them. The Jinchuriki roared in pain as the body tilted in the air, nearly throwing Naruto off. The way it was shaking, Naruto held off on throwing any more seeds, lest he blow himself right off his ride.

Then the Beetle did a barrel roll, and Naruto felt gravity's cruel hands drag him down towards the earth. He should have been paying more attention. As he looked up, he saw the Beetle right itself, and saw its exposed stomach. Using his stretching chain he managed to latch onto the underbelly, then swung to a leg. However, this wasn't a very advantageous position, and he couldn't think of many moves that would help him out here. Except maybe…

Forming shadow clones this high up was tricky, but after four misfires he managed it. The concentration needed was immense, but he finally got it right. Now here's hoping his aim was good…

With a mighty heft he flung the blessed Rasenshuriken forward directly into the beasts flight path. With the speed with which it was flying there was no way it could avoid the hit in time. The split second it had of warning was only enough to create a partial shield, and that wasn't nearly enough to keep it safe.

Like an exploding holy buzzsaw, the sphere of doom collided with its head. The following blast of energy instantly vaporized the heads of seven, six, four tailed Jinchuriki, causing the monster to fall from the sky as its wings disappeared, and it shrank by nearly half its size.

Naruto let go the beast, and fired his amulet beneath him. The concussive force drove him upwards while the Jinchuriki went past him, allowing him to return to the safety of their back. They hit the ground with a quaking thud, and the sandy body nearly collapsed under the force of the fall. But somehow the remaining Jinchuriki managed to pull themselves together. There were only three now; Gaara, Killer Bee, and the former Mizukage.

Naruto was forced to leap off the body and back onto the ruins as the body spun about and transformed again. Now, the bottom half of it was an octopus, the middle was a turtle, and the head was Shukaku, though all three faces were still on the head (though they were now rather scrunched together. The two arms which had become two of the three-tailed's tails were wielded like flails, and Naruto had to roll out of the way as the sought to slam him into a pulp.

He jumped as Killer Bee spat a glob of Ink at him, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the sand shuriken that struck him in the legs. Naruto grunted and pain, and returned fire with a volley of Prayer Beads, then used his Gourd to send a flock of sabers straight at their heads! Sadly, with their decreased size came an increase in speed. They either dodged his attacks completely, or were able to totally block the others.

_**"Why do you hurt us, Naruto?" **_The beast with three heads called out as it tried to sandwich him with its tentacles _**"I thought we were like brothers! I thought you cared about us!" **_The head of the Mizukage unleashed a blast of water that turned to steam in when it hit the baking sand, obscuring Naruto's view _**"But I can see now… you really are no better then though villagers after all!" **_the voice rang out.

Naruto was shocked by that. How could the Jinchuriki say such a thing! They knew he cared for them, and that he had always tried to do what was best for them! How could they say-

_**"Gotcha!" **_he heard, as a tentacle wrapped around him like a vice, preventing him from moving at all. There was no way he could lift his sword, or aim his Amulet properly like this.

The tentacle pulled him through the smoke, until he was face to face (to face, to face) with the Jinchuriki. The Mizukage face smirked _**"To fall for such a trick… your emotions make you weak, Uzumaki" **_he sneered. Then, the three spoke in unison _**"Now… let us become one!" **_

The torso split open, widening to reveal a hideous mouth full of teeth, ready to chomp him to bits. He tried to channel his Divine Tempest, but the sandy body redirected the electricity away from the vital body parts. He couldn't use his Gourd, because he couldn't uncork it in the position. He tried the Mask, but found three insane sentients a little hard to sway. That only left…

With as much care as he could, while still being quick about it, he grasped his bomb-fruit. He channeled as much chakra as he could, then flicked his wrist (while making sure to hang onto the fruit of course). He didn't see how many seeds flew into the maw, or how brightly they were glowing. For all he knew, his last ditch effort had just been a complete dud-

**Boom**

Ah, there it was. The explosion was so powerful as to rip the body apart from the inside. The three heads flew in three different direction, bouncing as they hit the ground. As he fell, Naruto quickly used the Gourd to freeze a patch of sand for him to land on. It wasn't much and it was melting fast, but it would have to do. He saw the Mizukage head bounce by and quickly peppered its scowling features with a barrage of Beads.

Seeing a glint in the fake sunlight lead him to Bees head. When Bee saw him he opened his mouth, no doubt ready to launch into a rhyme. Naruto blasted his head to dust with his Amulet before that could happen. Did he feel bad, yes. But come on… Bee's rhymes were terrible. Now, where was-

_**"NO!" **_

Naruto was tackled from behind by a wave of sand. Gaara's face, connected to an even larger wave of sand, quickly coiled around Naruto _**"I won't let you leave me! You can't!" **_he cried madly, and Naruto felt spikes grow through the sand, stabbing his limbs with multiple nonfatal wounds. _**"I won't be alone again! You were my only friend, my first friend, the only friend I could really trust! You saved my life, even when you didn't have to!" **_Gaara was practically weeping as he nearly crushed the life out of his 'best friend'

"What… about… your family?" Naruto coughed, finding it very hard to breath. If Kami were going to ever intervene, now would be a lovely time for that to happen.

Gaara shook his head _**"They never really loved me! They were always afraid of me! For years they could barely stand the sight of me!" **_

"Your… village?" Naruto asked, as tunnel vision started to set in.

_**"They only grew to tolerate me after they were certain I was no threat to them. But I never loved by them, even as a Kage!" **_

Naruto knew that wasn't true. He had been there, when the whole Sand village had turned out to help rescue Gaara. So how could he show Gaara the truth?

_'Look him in the eye.' _he heard the voice of Kami say.

Huh? How was that going to help?

_'I hadn't intended to give you this until later, but now seems to be as good a time as any. Now… look him in the eye!' _she snapped, feeling Naruto's life fading.

Naruto would have shrugged had he been able. Kami was the boss. So, doing the best he could to see through the haze that was now his vision, he locked eyes with Gaara.

He saw Gaara's maddened Shukaku like eyes.

Gaara saw eyes of blue shift and morph into endless pools of Silver. And when he looked into those eyes…

_**"Gaaahhhhh!" **_he screamed, flailing back, newly formed hands clutching at his eyes. But it was too late, he had gazed into the eyes of Truth, and the Truth had burned itself into his brain.

Naruto watched, transfixed as Gaara writhed on the floor, every memory of his entire life flashing through his mind, like he was relieving it in fast forward. And while their were certainly bad memories, it seemed the good ones were all the stronger.

He saw the looks his siblings gave him when as they carried him away from the Chunin battle field, it was the look of a concerned sibling.

He saw the people of his village celebrate when they saw he was not dead after having his Bijuu drawn out.

He saw the looks of respect he got from his fellow Kage as he fought to defend the troops of the allied army.

While many terrible events had happened in his life, the Truth was that the good times far outweighed the bad. And another Truth was, that despite everything, should he ask for it, Naruto would forgive him for trying to kill him just now.

As Gaara's body stilled, the sand fell away, showing Gaara's normal, human body. _**"I'm… so… sorry." **_he said.

"Don't worry about it." Was all Naruto said, before taking a deep breath and willing the Amulet to not only heal Gaara, but bring back the Shades of the Jinchuriki he'd killed.

The Holy Magic swept over the land, and soon, though it took a lot of his energy, eight perfectly healthy Jinchuriki stood before him. He opened the Portal, and told them all to head on to their well deserved Paradise.

Those who did not know him well simply bowed in thanks, with a few well wishes thrown in. Killer Bee stayed around long enough to give him a fourteen line poem about how awesome he was (which while true… could have used some work, not that he'd say that). Soon, it was just him and Gaara.

_"You have saved me again Naruto. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay my debt to you." _he said.

Naruto just waved him off "Don't mention it, you'd have done the same for me. Now, get going, Temari and Kankuro were worried sick about you when I met them. Had to practically force they through the Portal" he said with a laugh.

Gaara gave Naruto a long look; before finally walking through the Portal. Before fully entering he turned _"Perhaps this will help you"_ and waved his hand. Though not as powerful as he had been a moment ago, the sand still shook and moved for their master. The burning desert of the Abominable Sands parted, forming a clear path to what looked like a waterfall in the distance. His work done, Gaara turned back to Naruto _"Please stay safe Naruto… my brother." _and with that, like so many before him, he was gone.

Naruto just smiled and nodded to the empty air, and started limping across the path. When he was sure he had found a stable shelter, he was going to need a good healing.

_-Naruto In Hell- **The Journey Continues **  
_

Naruto stumbled, weak from battle, but glad. Glad he had once again managed to help one of his precious people. Not only that, but he had helped all the Jinchuriki find peace. Now if only he could have a chance to catch his breath.

The path he was walking on ended rather suddenly with a steep drop off a cliff, with only a bone spire as a way down. This seemed like a good place to rest. As he sat down and began to heal himself, he noted the blood river which had encircled the first part of the seventh circle, now flowed like a waterfall down the cliff and into the darkness below.

_"Napping on the job are we? Tisk tisk Naruto" _the Kyubi's voice called out as she materialized next to him, making sure to put Naruto between her and the cliffside.

Naruto rolled his eyes "I just got finished fighting a giant monster made up of all my fellow jinchuriki. Give me a break will you"

Kyubi just shook her head _"There's always an excuse with you humans isn't there? Oh well. At least while you rest, you can admire the Phlegethon, the third river in Hell." _she said, pointing the red waterfall.

Naruto grunted as the Amulet mended his bruised bones. Looking from the river to Kyubi he asked a question that had been on his mind since he'd seen the first river in the Inferno "Where do all these rivers flow from? How do they get here?" he asked.

Kyubi tilted her head as she thought over his question. Blinking owlishly, she answered _"On a island far from your home, there is a mountain, once glad with waters but now barren." _she started _"Within, stands a great figure of an old man. His head is fashioned of gold, his arms and chest of pure silver; at the fork of brass and down from there of iron… except the right foot, which is baked clay."_ Naruto nodded, wishing her to continue _"His flowing tears force a passage in the cavern. There course is from rock to rock into this valley, where they form Akheron, Styx, and here, the Phlegethon."_ she finished, though Naruto felt there was more she wasn't telling.

Naruto had to ask the obvious question, even though a part of him worried he shouldn't "Where does it flow from here?"

Kyubi seemed to stiffen, but answered anyway _"Over the cliff and down…"_ she said, her voice soft and hard to hear _"and when there is no more descending, they collect and form Lake Cocytus."_ Kyubi actually shuddered at the words _"There you shall see… I __**will not**__ describe it."_ and just like that she vanished, not even leaving a puff of smoke behind. Naruto wondered if what awaited him was truly so terrifying. If it was capable of spooking the Kyubi, it had to be something.

And of course he was heading straight for it.

But there was nothing for it, his friends needed him, and come Hell (in this case, quite literal) or high water, he stuck by his friends. So, while he still had the nerve, he swung himself onto the bone spire and sped down to the next circle.

**End Chapter 8**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura (Absolved)

**Kaiza (Absolved)

**Hanabi (Absolved)

**Lust: **Ino (Absolved)

Jiraiya (Absolved)

Orochimaru (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

**Ebisu (Absolved)

**Anko (Absolved)

**Mei Terumi (Absolved)

**Gluttony: **Choji (Absolved)

Zetsu (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Jirobou (Punished)_

_**Koharu (Punished) _

**Greed: **Kakuzu (Punished)

Shino (Absolved)

Tsunade (?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Taki (Absolved) _

_**Gato (?)_

_**Shizune (Absolved) _

**Anger: **Temari (Absolved)

Shikamaru (Absolved)

Kiba & Akamaru (Absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Tayuya (Absolved) _

_**Kin Tsuchi (Absolved) _

_**Doto Kazahana (Punished) _

**Heresy: **Tenten (Absolved)

Hidan (Punished)

Neji (Absolved)

Sasori (?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Third Kazekage (Undecided)_

_**Dosu (Punished)_

_**Amachi (Punished)_

**Violence: **Kisame Hoshigaki (Punished)

Suigetsu Hozuki (Punished)

Sakura Haruno (Absolved)

Kankuro (Absolved)

Deidara (Punished)

Gaara (Absolved)

All The Other Jinchuriki (Absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Zabuza Momochi (Absolved) _

_**Gato (Punished) _

_**Sakumo Hatake (Absolved) _

_**Kakashi Hatake (Absolved) _

_**Haido (Punished)_

_**Granny Chiyo (Absolved) _

**Fraud: **

**Treachery:**

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Sasori, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Pein, Sasuke, Sai, Tsunade**

And so, after a very long journey, Naruto finally leaves the Land of the Violent. Though he has endured much pain through seemingly endless battles, he had persevered. Many close friends have been saved, and many hated foes put down for good. But even with the enemies he has faced, many more wait in the shadows. And these enemies, are the greatest of all.

Next Time: Welcome Naruto, the the Circle of Fraud, where nothing is as it seems! Trust no one as you make your way through the eight circles of liars, cheats, and swindlers. Even those who paint themselves as your friend will stab you in the back in this circle. And beware the false prophets who predict nothing but pain, as they are some of the worst liars of all. You may get the chance to help out some old foes, and turn the page on your relationship with them. Take nothing for granted, keep track of every word and action… you never know when those closest to you will prove they've just been liars all along…

**And that's the end of Violence! Was it worth the wait? I hope so! If you thought so too, please say so in a review! Next time we get to see the Circle of Fraud, and the myriad of enemies it has to offer. I'm sure that'll be fun to write. We're nearing the end guys, I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am! **

**If any of you have an opinion what should happen to Konan and Pein, now is the time to speak up. Your choices will decide their fate! You have until the next chapter is posted... hopefully before four or five months pass.  
**

**Well, I don't have much else to say. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, enjoy yourselves everyone! And I hope you enjoyed this 22,763 word chapter! Consider that my gift to you, my loyal readers... **

**Until Next Time...  
**


	9. Fraud

**Hello everyone. Let me start off by saying how sorry I am that it has taken me this long. Eight month? Really?! I know, I know. I have only myself to blame. I'd just finished Violence, then I went back to college, and I had so many other stories to work on, and Fraud was such a difficult chapter... Time just got away from me. And I'm sorry. Let's look at some reviews and I'll talk to you all afterwards:  
**

**Rictor Yagami: Glad you liked it; and I suppose there are some minor characters I forgot about that I could have had Naruto absolve as Lost Souls, but this late in the game... I may just come up with an excuse for why they aren't all there. **_  
_

**death Nightwalker666: We will see. **

**Dark Lord Namikaze: Glad you liked it. Ah, my slight ignorance of Asian culture is showing. I figured it was called something like that. I suppose it is a type of suicide, but at the very least, a heroic one. As for Pein and Konan...  
**

**Leaf Ninja 91: Thanks.  
**

**airnaruto: Whoops, my bad.  
**

**cmcwiki: We will see.  
**

**J.T: If you liked THOSE monsters, wait 'til you get aload of what Fraud has in store...  
**

**Trey of the rebellion: Thanks  
**

**Killjoy92: Thanks. Tsunade? Oh, she's around... somewhere... Your vote has been considered, read on to see what happens...  
**

**darkvizardking69: Thanks. I know this isn't as soon as you might have hoped, but I hope it lives up to your expectations.  
**

**Baron von Nobody: Thanks. Man, those ten pockets were more troublesome then any other chapter...  
**

**Darke G. Reaper: Thanks. I really don't have a 'Beatrice' in mind, but as for what I've got planned for the 9th circle, oh, it's gonna be fun.  
**

**Ex10: We will see.  
**

**YoukoTaichou: Well, I did consider doing a series of one-shots describing how Naruto's friends came to be as they are. It would cover the time after their death, but before Naruto meets them (which can be as long as I want, since I've established that time moves differently in Hell).  
**

**Guest: Huh, to be honest I haven't given Kabuto much thought. As for Pein...  
**

**Anni Caib: We will see.  
**

**Madness Abe: Glad you liked it, hope this one is just as good, if not better.  
**

**There, now that that's out of the way, let me just say what I thought (and what most people thought) about the level of Fraud when playing the game: THIS! LEVEL! SUCKS!  
**

**Yeah, the level is terribly uninspired, and doesn't make for a good fic adaptation. Was I supposed to write Naruto having to kill so many enemies in a time limit, or stay in the air for a certain amount of time? LAME! So, that wouldn't work, which meant I needed to do a complete overhaul, and in so doing, I turned to my greatest source, the original Divine Comedy. Reading about the Eighth Circle, I have to say this would have made a great video game level. Each Bolgia (the ditches that make up this level) are each filled with an individual type of sinner, and a different punishment. It would have been great.  
**

**From a writing standpoint, this was hard because I had to come up with a new set of enemies, as well as how to get Naruto through them. I think I did alright with it, but I'll let you guys be the judge of that.  
**

**And with that, I will not let you all do what I know you've wanted to do for Eight Months now: Dive head long into the next Chapter!  
**

_-Naruto In Hell-**An Unpleasant Welcome**_

After sliding down the bone for a while, Naruto eventually dropped onto a large platform. Now usually, every time he was on a large platform, something popped out and tried to kill him. So to say he was pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen would be an understatement. Instead, the platform just slowly moved him downwards towards the next circle.

After about five minutes of this, the platform ground to a halt in front of a narrow pathway. Naruto took this to mean he was at his stop, and prepared for the next phase of his journey. He shivered, rubbing his arms to warm himself. This was a surprising turn from the blistering heat of the sands above he'd experienced a moment ago.

As he walked through the dark tunnel with only his Amulet to light his way, he heard all around him a strange hissing noise. He looked around for its source, but before he could find it, the floor a head of him and behind him burst into flames, trapping him. Naruto raised his Amulet, ready for battle.

_**"Naruto…" **_a voice said. Naruto's eyes widened as he instantly recognized the voice.

"Sasuke!" he shouted, looking around him for his one time friend.

_**"Why are you still here Naruto? Why do you insist on continuing this terrible journey?" **_Sasuke asked, invisible to Naruto, but a sound like sadness and desperation in his voice.

Naruto frowned "You should know by now Sasuke. I'm here to save those precious to me, no matter what!" he said with conviction.

_**"You're right, I do know that" **_Sasuke said, and Naruto got the feeling the Uchiha was rolling his eyes in the dark _**"But that still doesn't answer my question: why are you STILL HERE! You've traversed nearly the entirety of the Inferno at this point, there's no one left to save!" **_Sasuke said, his voice raising in volume with each sentence _**"You could go now! You could leave this place with that Amulet of yours, and go to Paradise to be happy. If you continue onward from this point, death is all that awaits you! Please Naruto, for once in your life… just let it go." **_Sasuke said, and for a moment, he sounded exactly like Naruto remembered him from all those years ago. Before the war, before the years of training, before Orochimaru. This wasn't Sasuke the revenge loving lunatic, but his friend from so long ago.

And yet…

"I'm sorry Sasuke, no can do." Naruto said, giving the shadows his foxy grin "I've come this far, I'm not stopping now. There are surely at least a few people I can help in this circle, and I can't just leave them behind." he said honestly, feeling a bit silly explaining himself to shadows and flickering flames "Besides…" he said, his eyes narrowing slightly "I keep bumping into people who seem really keen for me to turn around before I reach the bottom of the Inferno. And somehow… I doubt you're doing it out of the goodness of your heart." he said, his voice hardening, his eyes narrowing in an attempt to pierce the darkness "Something is going on down here, and I intend to find out what it is! So either come out of hiding and face me; or get the hell out of my way!" he shouted, the Amulet flaring up and dispelling the fires around him.

The air was silent, and Naruto wondered if this was the part where Sasuke attacked him. When nothing was said for several long moments, Naruto shrugged and began to walk forward, assuming Sasuke had gone back to wherever it was he really was.

_**"Stupid dobe…. you never listen" **_Sasuke voice sounded thick with anger and resentment now. _**"You always think you know everything… that you can solve everything with one of your stupid speeches about peace and friendship… you make me sick." **_the voice kept deepening, and Naruto thought he heard something rustling in the darkness, as though something was coming closer and closer _**"You want to die so bad dobe?" **_Sasuke questioned mockingly, the rustling now a rumbling that was like standing in the middle of a thundercloud _**"Then allow me to oblige you! KILL HIM Geryon! KILL HIM NOW!" **_

And just as Sasuke shouted his command, something relatively large shot from the darkness and tackled Naruto, sending them flying down the tunnel.

Geryon was a strange creature that guarded the entrance of Fraud. His head was that of a human man, and topped with a mop of brown hair. He had kind eyes and an honest smile, which Naruto had to admit, really threw him for a loop. But from there, everything was non-human. From the neck down Geryon was that of a wyvern dragon, coated in steel hard scales. Both arms, while vaguely humanoid, bore a greater resemblance to lions paws. And at the very end of the body was a long snake-like tail, with a wicked looking stinger on the end.

Geryon gave another flap of his leathery wings and tried to bite into Naruto's throat, but Naruto's armor was enough to stop the surprisingly human teeth Geryon had. Naruto got one arm free from Geryon's grasp and decked him across the jaw, dislocating it with a sickening pop. Geryon responded by dipping low and scraping Naruto across the rocks, a painful experience even with holy armor. Naruto tried to punch the creature again, but Geryon grabbed his arm with monstrous strength, and with a flick of his tail, lashed Naruto across the back, making him cry out.

As the two traded blows back and forth, part of Naruto took note of the large stone ditch they were flying over. He saw what looked like two lines of shades that seemed to go on forever, walking in opposite directions of each other. Each line was surrounded by demons, whipping the shades as they passed and ordering them to march faster. These were the panderers and seducers. Just as they had used the passions of others to drive them to do their bidding, they are themselves driven by the demons to march for all eternity.

Naruto, tired of the whipping, summoned the Mask to his face. The appearance of the glittering adornment confused Geryon long enough for Naruto to drive pure fear directly into its animalistic brain. He had hoped it would make Geryon release him, but instead Geryon locked up with fright, and the two of them were rapidly falling downwards towards the earth.

Thinking quickly, Naruto slammed his covered face into Geryon's, making the monster reel back, and loosening its grip. Freeing his metal arm, Naruto reeled back and aimed for where he assumed the creature's heart would be. Then, channeling chakra into his arm, he slammed it into its fleshy underbelly. Unlike the top of Geryon's topside which was covered in nearly impenetrable scales, like most dragons, his underside was far weaker. As such, Naruto's fist not only broke through the skin, but also the ribs protecting the vital organs. The force of the blow caused Geryon's heart to explode, and the monster died in mid-flight.

As its body went slack, Naruto twisted and jerked the body around, pointing the harder part of Geryon towards a spot on the cliff that looked like it had a path. To gain a bit of added momentum, he used his Amulet to blast himself back into the air a little. From there, he did his best to coast to his goal.

Then, with a mighty crash, he slammed Geryon's body into the side of the cliff. The scales held, and Naruto was protected (though he had added a bit of divine protection as added insurance). Slowly, the body slid down the cliff to the path, where he hopped off and away from the fallen demon. Not sure what to do with the body, Naruto just gave a nod to his fallen foe and then turned back to the path.

Naruto didn't know it, but he had just completely bypassed the first Bolgia, and was now on track to the second.

_-Naruto In Hell- **Hell is the shits**_

Naruto was able to smell the second Bolgia before he saw it. A smell not unlike that of a thousand unclean bathrooms, multiplied a billion fold hit him like an Akimichi's fist to the face. And as he turned the corner, he saw why.

Below him was the second Bolgia, where the Flatterers spent their eternity. As far as the eye could see, was a thick layer of excrement, which represented the words they produced. Like the Panderers, these people had used their skills in the art of language to exploit others.

Naruto retched, not want to be any closer to the smell. But he knew he would have to cross the ditch to continue onward, so he would have to manage. Looking down, he fired his amulet, creating a clean spot for him to land as he jumped down. Right about now he really wished he had an air freshening power.

As he landed, he saw some of the shades look at him, before looking away. They didn't seem to be doing much here, except standing around. Of all the punishments he'd seen so far, this one didn't seem very severe. Rather uncomfortable, he'd give them that, but not exactly tortuous.

_"The blessed light! Oh thank the heavens!" _cried a voice to his left. Naruto turned, and saw a shade crawling through the muck towards him _"Oh wonderful, gracious savior! Truly thou art a kind man, yes? Please, I beg of you to help me!" _as the shade got closer, Naruto could swear he recognized the voice. Turning the light of his amulet on the shade, Naruto started as he got a clear look at the spirit. It was Sai!

Sai had fallen on hard times it seemed. His hair was matted and greasy. His eyes had dark bags under them, as though he had gone months without sleep. His whole body was stained with… well you know. He looked sickly and emaciated. And as he recognized Sai, Sai recognized him.

_"Naruto! My first and only true friend! You have come for me! You truly are a pure spirit!" _Sai sputtered happily, his voice cracked, as though it wasn't used to being used. Naruto could tell just from looking that Sai wasn't all there mentally. He had to wonder what had done that to him…

"It's okay Sai, I'm here now. I'm gonna help you, and then I'll save the others alright. Your problems are solved."

Sai looked ready to cry _"Oh how wonderful! Thank you! You don't know what it's been like down here! With my death, I could finally feel again… just in time to end up in Hell. It was not a pleasant experience." _Sai chuckled darkly, weirding Naruto out. He wasn't used to seeing Sai emote.

"Well don't worry Sai, I'll send you on your way… then I think I'll get the hell out of this circle" Naruto said, casting a disgusted eye at the filth around him.

Sai cocked his head to the side, as though listening to something _"Alright… but let me show you the true exit before I go." _he said, steadying himself on his feet.

"True exit?" Naruto asked, frowning.

Said nodded vigorously _"You don't think that the exit is some big obvious crack in the wall do you?" _he asked, ignoring the chastised look that came over his friends face _"If that was the case, then anyone would just walk out. Thankfully, I was able to scout out the location of the true exit. Looks my Root training came in handy after all." _

Naruto raised an eyebrow "If you found the exit, why haven't you left yet?" he asked

Sai sighed _"That answer is two fold. One, the exit I found only leads to the next Bolgia, which is the exact opposite direction I want to go. Two, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly at my best here." _he said, looking down at his rather decrepit form. He looked back at Naruto _"You on the other hand, still have all your strength, so perhaps you'll survive the trials ahead." _he started hobbling away, clearly expecting Naruto to follow.

Naruto sighed, if they went at Sai's pace, they'd be there all millennium. Ignoring the urge to gag, he hoisted Sai onto his back, and gave a chakra enhanced leap in the direction Sai indicated.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

After several minutes of chakra hopping, Sai had lead Naruto to a narrow looking cave. Setting the painter down, Naruto stepped closer to the cave, trying to see beyond the darkness before him, to no avail. "Sai, are you sure this is the way?" he asked.

Sai just stood up shakily, his spindly limbs looking ready to break under his weight. He gave that creepy, insincere looking smile he'd always worn in life "Yes Naruto. This is definitely the way you are supposed to go." he said.

Naruto turned to face Sai. Something about the way he'd said that put him on edge. "So this is the way out of this Bolgia and into the next… right Sai?" he asked slowly.

Sai's grin just widened "Naruto, I can't believe someone as trusting and intelligent as you would doubt me! After all, you're always going on about trusting others, and the goodness in all souls. Truly you are a wise-"

Naruto raised his amulet, eyes narrowed "Alright, who are you." he asked sternly "Sai never complimented me that much… ever. So drop the disguise, and maybe I won't atomize you."

'Sai' chuckled "Atomize? What a big word. I never expected to hear it out of your big mouth Naruto." the ground suddenly shook as something in the cave behind Naruto stirred. "To bad you never learned to keep your voice down." the creature in the cave roared. Naruto turned on reflex to see if he was about to be attacked. When he looked back, 'Sai' was gone.

All around him, the dung heaps stirred, shaping themselves into more and more recognizable shapes. Soon, Naruto was surrounded by the most disgusting army ever.

They looked like snowmen, but with thicker arms and legs… and they were made of the available material. Naruto gagged. This was just… gross. Blood and fire were one thing, this was just nasty for the sake of nasty.

A roar reminded him of the biggest problem. From the cave had emerged a larger version of the soldiers around him. And by larger, he meant it was the size of a large house.

Naruto blinked, before pulling out the Gourd "Oh no. We're not doing this." he said, his calm demeanor taking the creatures by surprise "Demons are one thing. My friends are another." he popped the cork on the Gourd "But I am not wasting my time fighting giant crap-monsters." he ended with a shout, making all the creatures lunge at him. It didn't matter though…

From up on a hillside Sai watched an explosion of ice encase the entire battlefield, freezing everything in place. The ice was nearly as tall as the walls around them, and easily encased the demons like flies in amber.

A moment later, the ice shattered into a trillion tiny bits, taking everything inside with it. For a moment, Sai just watched the snow fall, its presence so alien in this place only adding to its majesty. Sighing, he turned to run, only to freeze in place as something grabbed his mind. He struggled to resist, but he was weak. He had always been weak mentally, and he was paying for it.

Grunting in frustration, his body filled with malevolent energy before flying back towards Naruto.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto felt the disturbance in the air, and managed to duck and roll out of the way just in time. He saw from the corner of his eye a mass of midnight black ink soar over head, before hitting the ground with a splat. Immediately, two tigers formed from the mass, and charged him.

Summoning two clones to deal with the pussycats, Naruto launched his Kama blade, electrified with a Divine Tempest, right at the main body. The clones used basic rasengans to destroy the tigers, then sat back and watched the bolt of lightning collide with the inky mass.

With a clap of thunder the blob was blown in multiple directions; but as soon as it touched down it coiled like a spring and shot towards Naruto, straightening in the air into a javelin. Thankfully with his metal arm he was able to knock the few that came close away (he did not want to know what those things could do to his insides).

Hearing movement behind him, Naruto turned and caught the rope of ink, only to realize he had been tricked. The ink wrapped around his hand and Naruto found himself jerked into the air, only to be slammed down behind the vaguely human shaped Ink-figure. Spinning on its faux ankles Naruto was slammed with his back to a nearby rocky protrusion, the ink on his arm turning into a pair of pythons that constricted around him. As the two heads turned their attention to his neck, Naruto pumped chakra through his arms, then tore through the black snakes like paper, his hands grabbing their heads just as they were about to bite him. The dying snakes writhed for a moment, before Naruto popped them like grapes.

Just in time too, cause Sai was charging right at him. But Naruto had had enough, and with a thought, his Golden Mask was in place. He felt his power surround Sai's mind, and he mentally squeezed it with all the sadness, shame, and guilt he could.

The creature that was Sai halted its charge and collapsed, and instead rolled about on the ground, its form losing shape and spazzing out. And as Naruto focused more, it seemed to shrink, becoming more human in appearance. Finally, after a few moments, it was Sai again.

Naruto gave a sigh of relief, and walked towards the downed Sai "Alright Sai, hold still and I'll fix you up." as he walked towards his downed teammate, he lifted the mental lock he had on him. Big mistake.

Sai sat upright immediately **"Naruto…" **he gasped, his voice gargling up through an ink filled throat **"Follow me" **and with that he shot off.

Naruto gapped for a moment before groaning in frustration. Getting a quick idea; he slapped the Amulet to his chest, channeling chakra to it as he did. The Amulet shined and formed a cone of holy energy around him as he ran, protecting him from any lurking fiends or shades. For any who saw it from a distance, it would seem as though a shooting star were moving across the field of damnation, lighting the way to the lost. All who were near it felt more at ease, as though the light itself were cleansing their sins.

But no matter how fast Naruto ran, the inky mass that was Sai was always just a bit faster. After what seemed like hours of running, Sai flowed through a thick crack in the side of the wall, just big enough for Naruto to follow. The last he saw of Sai was him disappearing down a hole in the ground. Without hesitation, Naruto followed.

Naruto didn't know it, but he had just left the second Bolgia, and was on his way to the third.

_-Naruto In Hell-** Oh hi Kyubi... **_

Naruto landed with a thud, before rolling to a stand. Looking around, he saw no sign of Sai anywhere, just a long dark, stone tunnel; which looked like every other dark stone tunnel he'd seen down here. Brow furrowed in annoyance, he cautiously made his way through.

A few moments later, he came out into a large open area, which was surprisingly well lit. As he looked around, Naruto felt his eyebrows go up as he tried to figure out exactly what he was looking at…

_"There you are!" _a familiar voice snapped behind him. Turning, Naruto saw a very angry Kyubi leering down at him, her body looking like a strange candle; with her reddish orange body and soft blue head.

_"Where have you been?!" _she yelled _"Why did you leave the path? Do you have any idea what might have happened to you?"_

Naruto held his hands up in defense, futilely trying to stem the Kyubi's wrath. He explained that Sasuke had sent some demon to attack him, and that he hadn't intentionally left the path. Kyubi still didn't look happy, but at least the slight look of panic she'd had was fading.

_"Fine" _she sighed, running a hand through her hair _"At least you've managed to make it this far." _She started walking across the field, being careful where she stepped, with Naruto following right behind her. _"This here is the field of Simony." _she said, waving her hand at the land around them. Everywhere Naruto looked, was one of the more… bizarre punishments.

It looked like people had been buried alive… upside down. Only their feet were really visible. Seeing his confused look, Kyubi sighed _"What are they teaching mortals today… simony is the act of paying for sacraments, like confession." _Seeing that Naruto still wasn't getting it, Kyubi tried again _"Essentially they tried to buy their way into Paradise." _

"Oh" Naruto nodded, finally getting it. "What about those first two circles?"

_"Bolgias" _Kyubi corrected, not slowing in the slightest. The brat was already behind, and she wanted him to move on as quickly as possible _"The first one is for the panderers and seducers, and the second one is for the… well the bullshit-ers." _she said, turning to give Naruto a predatory grin _"The circle of Fraud has ten Bolgias in total, each punishment more brutal then the last."_ She suddenly grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his neck and leapt the rest of the way to a small little alcove with a ladder running down. _"This is the quickest way to the next Bolgia. I expect you to start running through these a bit faster. We're so close to the end and I can't have you mucking things up because you were strolling when you should be sprinting." _she said, before proceeded to drop him down the shaft and disappearing.

Naruto groaned, easily catching the ladder and making his way down. Why was Kyubi so random? Sometimes she acted like she liked him, and others she acted like she wanted to wring his neck… Oh well, best do as she says and get on with it…

_-Naruto In Hell-** Keeping your head on straight**_

The next Bolgia was dark… pitch black in fact. Naruto raised his amulet, and cast its glowing light on the fields around him. So far, he hadn't seen anybody; which he knew was probably a bad thing. Even with the light though, it was hard to tell if he was going straight or not, and Naruto **so **did not want to get lost down here…

Wait! What was that… Naruto looked around, sure he had heard a sound… it was like a moan, not unlike the one the shades made that he judged. Naruto shook his head, he couldn't afford to get distracted now…

There! There it was again… closer this time. A moaning, groaning sound, was making its way towards him. And there was more then one source to, now that he focused. It was coming from all directions. And there, in the distance, Naruto thought he could make out a group of shambling figures. That, combined with the noise, made Naruto wonder if… maybe… these were….

"ZOMBIES!" Naruto screamed in fear, his voice rising several pitches. Even with all he'd seen, old childhood fears die hard.

And there, shuffling out of the darkness, came hordes of decaying bodies. Their arms outstretched, they stumbled over one another as they approached. Only… something was off. Naruto squinted to get a better look at them through the darkness, and saw something that shocked him: their heads were on backwards! That was why they were stumbling so badly, they were walking backwards. For whatever reason, though their heads faced him, their bodies were facing away.

And that wasn't all. Each face was crying its eyes out, with tears so thick, Naruto wasn't sure they even **were **able to see. Just what the heck were these things?

What Naruto didn't know, nor likely ever would know, was that he was in the Bolgia of the Sorcerers and diviners. They had tried to use their magic to pierce the veil of time itself, and see into the future, or gaze backwards into the past. Now, they were eternally punished for their transgression, with their heads twisted backwards and their eyes blinded with tears, they would never again see forward or backwards.

Just beyond Naruto's reach, the suffering sorcerers stopped, their hands outstretched. Before Naruto could say anything, he was blasted from all sides with bolts of energy. He leapt away, but his body was still sore from the assault. As he landed, he saw some of them calling forth fiends to attack, while they hung back blasted him with magic.

Naruto whipped his chained Kama about, the blade taking the legs right out from under two of the fiends. And his Golden Prayer beads took out all but one. That last one leapt at Naruto, aiming to tear his throat out with its teeth. It's mouth latched around his fist… sadly for the demon it was his cestus covered fist. Naruto buried it, and the creature into the ground, crushing its skull.

He used his amulet to create a shield to protect him from the magic blasts, but found he couldn't dodge. Looking down, he saw roots had grown up and ensnared his legs, and were pulling him down. He had to think of something, and fast.

He thought of using his Gourd, but realized he'd have to lower his shield to aim it properly. Same went for the Beads. That left.. the Mask! Closing his eyes, Naruto channeled power to the strange Mask, and focused on penetrating the minds of those that would seek to penetrate the sands of time.

Pain. That was all he found. Pain, agony, and unbearable sorrow. They hurt so much, and had been hurting for so long, that they no longer really knew where they were, or why they were there. All they wanted was for the pain to stop. But it wouldn't, and they knew it wouldn't. And that made them **so angry**. Angry enough that they would take out their frustration on anything that came close to them, that wasn't like them.

Naruto nodded his head, the solution here was easier then he thought. He reached out, the proper emotion in mind, and granted it to each and everyone in range: Peace.

One by one, the attacks stopped. The roots binding him to the ground receded, and the blasts of energy quite banging on his shield. The sorcerers lowered their arms, as for the first time in a very long time, the pain that had racked their very beings went away.

Naruto knew this was as good a time as any "Excuse me, do you know the way to the next… bolgia?" he asked, remembering the word Kyubi had used.

As one, the diviners nodded, and pointed with their decaying fingers in one direction. Naruto raised and eyebrow and fired a bolt of Holy Chakra in the direction directed. As the white light flew over the field, a small cave halfway up the cliffside was revealed. That was the exit. Naruto looked back at the undead surrounding him.

Slowly, he raised his amulet high above his head. Closing his eyes, Naruto prayed to Kami that what he was about to do would work. The amulet glowed, and a pulse of energy was sent out in all directions. As soon as it touched the undead sorcerers, their heads snapped back into the proper position with a loud cracking sound, and their eyes flew wide open, dry and fresh. Each gave a loud gasp as the might of Kami flowed through them, before vanishing with a pop towards Purgatory to finish the rest of their sentence.

With his path cleared, Naruto quickly charged the cliff, firing blasts of holy energy whenever he spied a sorcerer on the edge of his vision. Reaching the cliff, Naruto quickly scaled it with chakra, and entered the cave. Casting one last look behind him, he ran forward into the tunnels towards the next ditch.

_-Naruto In Hell-** Tarred and Feathered **_

"Woah…" Naruto said under his breath as he looked below him. Frankly, it was all he could think of at the moment to describe the… bizarre scenery that lay before him, especially considering what the first four Bolgia had looked like.

Unlike the others, Bolgia 5 was far more industrial looking. Looking left or right of Naruto's position, for as far as the eye could see were miles and miles of catwalks. Patrolling these catwalks were various arch demons, each carrying a wicked looking whip and scimitar.

Below the catwalks though was where the real action was. Packed wall to wall were gigantic vats of boiling pitch. The tar was black as night, and so hot that it made the fourth and fifth circles look like the arctic. And oddly enough, the tar seemed to be moving back and worth, swirling about as though it were a living, breathing thing… come to think of it, it most likely was.

And there, stuck in that horrible molten tar were the condemned. Corrupt politicians, immersed in the lake of boiling pitch as punishment for their sticky fingers and corrupt deals.

Carefully hopping down to the catwalk, Naruto ran as fast as he could. Sadly, since there was little cover, he knew he'd be spotted almost immediately.

The demons didn't disappoint. As soon as they spotted him, they roared and started working their way towards him. One of the closer demons lashed out with its whip, which wrapped around Naruto's cestus arm. The demon pulled, and Naruto nearly found himself air born. Thankfully, a last second application of chakra stuck him fast to the platform. A flick of his wrist sent a wall of beads at the demon, perforating his body before he knew what hit him.

However, demons weren't the only ones that could be surprised. Naruto was suddenly struck by an agonizing pain in his right shoulder. Turning his head slightly, he saw to his horror that an arrow had been embedded in the flesh. From across the expansive network of platforms, an arch-deamon archer was taking potshots at him!

With a yank that resulted in a small scream of pain, Naruto pulled the arrow from his shoulder, and took off running. The demon was too far away for him to fire back, and he knew that it was just a distraction for the other demons to overtake him and corner him over the boiling pits.

But fate was feeling fickle today, as a chakra signature made itself known above Naruto. Looking up, he saw an inky black eagle flying high above his head. The bird swooped low, its wings outstretched, and flew right through a half dozen of the chains that held the platforms up, and kept them from plummeting into the tar below.

Though its substance appeared to be made of ink, the birds wings must have hardened to be razor sharp, because they cut the steel chains quite easily. The whole platform Naruto was on shook and tilted, which only increased the blondes fevered pace.

But he could already tell it wouldn't be enough. Time for drastic action. Quickly, he leapt over the side of the railing, allowing gravity to briefly drag him down towards the vats of tar. At the same time he hurled his Kama at a nearby catwalk, where it wrapped around and held fast. This allowed Naruto to avoid death, and instead swing his way, just inches above the tar, to safety.

As he reached the height of his swing, he channeled lightning down the chain to the platform, where it electrocuted all the demons in the immediate area, leaving it safe by the time he landed.

And that was when he heard the chanting.

Turning, on the opposite end of a large vat, a Pagan of all things stood, spellbook open, chanting over the vat. Said vat of tar began to glow with ominous power. Quickly, Naruto used his Golden Mask to convince the demons that they were furious with the Pagan, and had them tear him to shreds.

But it was too late, the spell was already complete, even as the undead spellcaster's head was torn from his shoulders. Before Naruto's very eyes, the tar rose from its vat, and began to take the crude, rudimentary shape of a man; with a gaping mouth and giant arms. It looked at Naruto with wide, empty eyes, and roared. It swung its arm in a slow arch, planning to crush him flat.

Naruto ran, and unleashed a volley of holy blasts at it. Each blast struck the monster with the force of a bomb, blasting off chunks of it, and sending its boiling mass flying everywhere. But the creature just drew from its massive reserve of tar beneath it and kept coming. Naruto tried reaching out to it with the Golden Mask, but there was no mind there for him to influence.

The tar monster stretched out its arm, and Naruto used the Kusanagi's power of elongation to slice it off at the shoulder from a distance. That didn't even slow the monster down. It didn't even seem that annoyed.

Figuring a Divine Tempest might do the trick, Naruto hurled his Kama into the beast. It struck it in the forehead, but the creature didn't seem to mind. Then Naruto sent the shock down it. Electricity sparked all over the monster, but it wasn't phased in the slightest. Naruto growled in frustration, and pulled his Kama back.

Or at least, he tried to.

The Tar monster was now wearing something close to a smirk as Naruto tried and failed to remove his Kama, which was firmly stuck in the monsters tarry substance. Then, with a quickness that was surprising at its size, the monster jerked its head back, reeling Naruto towards it like a fish on a line.

Naruto was stuck, he was about to land in the center of the boiling tar monsters mouth, and he had no idea how to escape. Well… maybe… it was a long shot, but what the heck, if he didn't try he was going to die anyway!

Halfway to the creature, Naruto popped the cork off his Gourd, and aimed it at the creature "I fear being frozen!" he shouted, feeling a powerful tug on his chakra so fierce he almost blacked out.

A beam of concentrated magic shot from the Gourd and struck the back of the monsters mouth as it opened wide to receive its prey. It didn't seem to strike very hard, but the effect was obvious. From the point of impact, a web of ice quickly spread out, encompassing the monster from the inside out. The monster's eyes widened at this sudden change in temperature, just as they were frozen in position along with the rest of his body. The ice quickly spread down and froze the entire vat and everything in it to solid ice.

Still being carried forward, Naruto held his Cestus hand out in front of him like it was a shield, and waited for impact.

With a sound similar to breaking glass, Naruto shattered the monster into tiny bits, freeing his Kama blade. From there, he used the falling blocks of ice as stepping stones back to the steel platform (or at least what was left of it) and dusted himself off.

Looking around, Naruto saw, to his amusement, the rest of the demons backing away from him slowly, as a frightened animal might an apex predator. Naruto smirked; that worked out just fine for him, thank you very much.

Naruto walked uninterrupted the rest of the way out of the Bolgia, and continued on his way to the next ditch.

_-Naruto In Hell-** Get the lead out! **_

Naruto stopped at a ledge overlooking the next Bolgia. It wasn't very high off the ground, but that didn't matter. This ditch was surprisingly well lit from an unseen light source. Littered around the area were detailed statues that looked like they were made from solid metal. They were all frozen in various poses, with various expressions.

Naruto squinted, before he gave a soft gasp. Those weren't statues. They were the occupants of this Bolgia. It was hardly noticeable, but each statue was moving very, very, slowly. Naruto nodded to himself as he worked it out. Somehow, the inhabitants were turned into metal… most likely lead by the look of it. All in all, it wasn't so bad… he supposed it was likely uncomfortable, especially since this Bolgia was even hotter then the last one. For that matter, he didn't see any other demons here!

Well, as long as he avoided whatever turned these guys to lead, he should have no problems! This ditch would be a breeze!

And with that self assured thought, Naruto leapt down and began to sprit towards the other side.

Barely a hundred feet later though, he felt himself slowing down. Every step he took became noticeably harder, and his legs were starting to ache. Looking down, Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

His feet had turned to lead. Each time he made contact with the ground, they flashed slightly, and the encroaching steel inched further up his body. The curse was already halfway to his knee, and he wasn't even half way across this pit.

Naruto began to panic, and pushed himself to run even faster, but it didn't seem to be making a difference. But he wouldn't stop trying. The alternative was to wait and be turned into a tin lawn ornament!

However, Naruto's mood wasn't helped by a fact that was quickly making itself apparent: He wasn't the only thing moving. The other lead statues were slowly turning towards him, and actually managing to pick up speed!

Even if they weren't very good fighters, and even if they didn't managed to catch him at all, he couldn't afford to have them blocking his way! Any time taken to avoid them would be time the curse would have to make him like them!

With a wave of his amulet and never breaking his quickly slowing stride, Naruto unleashed a vast wave of power that slammed into the encroaching statues. Some were knocked back, but most stayed where they were, completely unaffected by the blast.

Okay, that didn't work… but that didn't meant the tool was wrong! Thinking up an idea, Naruto turned slightly and took aim, not at the statues, but at the ground beneath him, and fired.

The blast rocketed him sky high… or it would have, had his lower half not become metallic. Still, he managed to gain some impressive air time from the one blast. Sadly, gravity still functioned in this part of hell, and he was quickly making his way back towards earth. And the statues. They were reaching towards the sky, looking to catch him before he landed.

Naruto wouldn't have it. Spinning was difficult in mid air, but he managed it. He tossed his Kama blade towards the center of the gathered mass as hard as he could, the blade impaction the center statue on the head. As soon as it struck, Naruto unleashed a furious Divine Tempest, the volts jumping from one statue to another as they traveled over the conductive metal.

He ended the electrical blast as moments before he made contact with the ground (no reason to electrocute his own metal legs… and now lower belly). As soon as he landed he fired the amulet again, but his aiming this time was slightly off, and all he managed was to skid along the ground slightly. On the plus side, due to the way he'd been facing when he'd fired, he managed to do even more damage to the statues.

As he skid to a stop about two hundred feet from the face of the cliff that marked the opposite end of the Bolgia, Naruto saw the cave exit about halfway up the rocky face; and knew he'd never be able to scale it as he was.

So, once more, his Kama came to the rescue. Twirling it like a lasso was hard now that his shoulders were slowly stiffening (oddly, the curse seemed to have skipped over his heart, likely saving it for last) but he managed to toss it up to the exit. Like a grappling hook, it buried itself into the stone, and Naruto began to climb upwards.

But just as he left the ground, something grabbed his ankle and tried to pull him down. One of the statues had gotten a hold of him, and was desperately weighing him down.

But Naruto couldn't lose! Not now! Even as his neck became stiff (and his arms up to his elbows had gone grey), Naruto channeled chakra into his second most used jutsu…

"Rasengan!" he managed to say, despite his tongue feeling like lead. The the swirling mass of chakra impacted the head of the statue, shattering it to bits, and releasing it from the torment it had been in.

But it may have been successful in one respect. Naruto was having trouble holding himself up. His fingers would no longer bend or unbend, meaning one hand could not let go of the chain! Just as he started to fall backwards from his chain, he held on with his teeth. Using what strength he had left, Naruto used his other hand to dig into the cliff side and pull up, using his teeth to tug himself up the chain. He did this as fast as he could, but it was hard to tell if he was making progress, as the edges of his vision had started to blur. He thought maybe he felt a ledge, but he couldn't be sure! Oh Kami, what if he ended up a statue right in front of the exit, frozen forever and unable to save his friends!

A lead tear formed at the edge of Naruto's eye as he moved his hand forward one last time…

And just like that, Naruto blinked. His vision was clearing! He saw that his hand was indeed on the edge of the exit! He also felt the amulet of Kami giving off a gentle pulse of energy from his side, warming him, even when encased in metal.

Slowly, he managed to haul himself the rest of the way out. Every inch over the threshold seemed to release another inch of him from his prison. Until, at least, he finally crossed, and was free! Naruto gave a shuddering breath as he tried to calm his swiftly beating heart. Despite all he had done, that was one of the worse experiences he'd felt while here.

For what seemed like a long time, Naruto just sat there, on the border between the Bolgia. Finally, he managed to get to his feet, and trudged forward, eager to be far away from the valley of statues he was leaving behind…

_-Naruto In Hell-  
_

Naruto slowly made his way down the tunnel, his experience in this circle making him especially weary. Just as he turned a corner, with his amulet throwing giant shadows on the wall, the familiar sound of crying reached his ears. It was another shade that needed his help.

Slowly approaching the weeping shade, Naruto saw that it was covering its face, making him unable to recognize it. "It's alright" Naruto said, reaching out with his amulet "I'm here to help you…"

_**"I know" **_the shade said, its voice instantly recognizable. Naruto's eyes widened but before he could jump back the shade lashed out, its arm stretching in length. It hit him in the stomach and slammed him into the tunnel wall. He blasted at it with his amulet, but the shade, now revealed to be Sai in disguise, dodged.

Sai's inky mass bulged, and two lions formed, charging right at Naruto, fangs bared. He tossed his Kama at one, the blade glowing with electricity. The volts boiled the oil and evaporated the monster in the blink of an eye, but that still left one. Naruto tried to swing the Kama, but Sai interfered, and pinned the chain down with a block of hardened ink.

The lion leapt at Naruto, who just managed to put up his Ninjato in defense. The lion bit down, not quite strong enough to bite through the enchanted steal. Thankfully, despite the thrashing of the lion, Naruto still had his Cestus arm. A solid blow from the metal hand to where the lion's ribs should be sent it crashing to the floor, dissolving back into ink.

But it had served its purpose as a distraction. Sai's body became like a wave, and smashed into Naruto, tossing him about and slamming him into walls. Finally, Naruto was pinned to the wall, the ink rendering him immobile.

Before his eyes, Sai formed, one arm still connected to Naruto's bindings. The other arm, formed a sword that Sai leveled at Naruto's face. **"Sorry Naruto" **Sai said, giving that phony smile **"But it looks like the fun ends here…" **Who knew Sai could be a gloating prick?

Sadly, that moment of arrogance would cost him. The moment before Sai plunged the blade into Naruto's cranium, Naruto's Ninjato blade extended, breaking through the ink, and piercing Sai through the chest, right where his heart would be. Now, while Sai made be made of ink, that didn't necessarily make him immune to the Kusanagi's supernatural poison, as he soon found out.

The wound glowed purple, and cracks began to spread along Sai's body, causing him immense agony. Sai's body began to lose definition, and when he tried to stab Naruto in retaliation, it was more like getting hit by a water ballon.

As he stepped back, writhing in pain, Naruto uncorked the Gourd. No matter how big a bastard he was, Naruto wasn't just going to let him die. Unleashing a blast of ice from the Gourd froze Sai in place, halting his disintegration.

Carefully, Naruto pressed the Amulet against the ice, letting its healing magic permeate the frozen structure, and heal what damage had been done. It wasn't just a physical thing though. The power of Kami would also heal the damage that had been done to Sai's mind, finally erasing the last of the Root training taint that had stuck around after his death.

The ice cracked and disappeared, leaving Sai crouched on the ground, back to normal, with the portal swirling behind him. Standing shakily, he looked at Naruto as though really seeing him for the first time.

Then, the oddest thing happen, which was saying something considering where Naruto was and what he'd been doing. Sai **hugged** him. Actually, honest to Kami hugged him. Naruto felt a few tears fall on his shoulder, and realized Sai was crying.

Sai stepped back, and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Naruto." he said, his voice no longer murky or burbling. "I am finally… free." he straightened up, looking Naruto in the eye "You… are truly a great friend Naruto." he said "And I thank you. If there is anything you need from me, do not hesitate to ask." he said seriously.

"Uh… yeah. No problem Sai. You're welcome." Naruto said, rather stunned by the abrupt change in Sai.

Sai smiled, a true, honest smile, and stepped back into the Portal. Just before he left, he gave a slight smirk "Guess you've got a bigger one then I thought." he joked, making Naruto gap "I mean you must, taking on all of Hell just for some of your friends." he gave a short laugh, then disappeared, leaving Naruto alone in the tunnel.

Naruto sighed, rubbing his forehead. He really needed a nap to deal with all the weird shit he'd been through today. But sadly that would have to wait, and with that thought he trudged down the tunnel, ready to face the next trial.

_-Naruto In Hell-** A Den of Thieves**_

Naruto looked to his left, then looked to his right. Nothing. No monsters. No statues. No souls. Nothing.

The tunnel let out about thirty feet above ground. The ground itself was the same grey stone that composed everything else, with the only difference being a complete lack of… anything. It was also the smallest Bolgia he'd seen. With only about a hundred feet from one side to the other. The other side though, had a cliff that seemed to go upwards quite a ways… and Naruto didn't see an exit anywhere near the ground level.

Hopping down, Naruto carefully crossed the floor, keeping his eye out for any curses that suddenly started changing him. Now all he had to do was not think about it… don't think about it…

Naruto opened his eyes (which he totally hadn't closed out of fear), noting he was halfway there, man this wasn't so bad-

KAMI DAMMIT!

As soon as (and he did mean as soon as) he had that thought, the ground began to shake, as from around the corner, a centaur with a scimitar came barreling towards him at high speeds.

Not wanting to be split by the crescent shaped blade, Naruto jumped over the horse man and landed on his back. When he did, Naruto made the startling realization the Centaur wasn't running towards him, but was leading… well…

"Snakes… why did it have to be snakes…" Naruto shuddered as what he saw gave him horrific flashbacks of a certain snake Sannin.

Charging directly behind the Centaur was a horde of snakes. They were so thick they made the ground beneath them invisible. They came in all shapes and sizes, but they all looked mean as hell (no pun intended). Oddly, an occasional human would appear in the middle of the crowd of snakes, but they would quickly disappear to be replaced by another human. Frankly it was bizarre, even for where they were, but Naruto wasn't really observing that hard, given that not only did he have a crowd of snakes to possibly contend with, but the Centaur had taken notice of him and; assuming he was meant to be amongst the horde of snakes, was trying to dislodge him.

The Centaur grabbed a serrated knife at its belt and stabbed behind it trying to hit him, forcing Naruto to duck and weave while holding on for dear life. Finally, he'd had enough, and just leapt off the damn thing towards the wall. He actually jumped with such force that the Centaur was plowed into the ground. The snakes quickly ran over their former oppressor, hissing and spitting with pleasure as they dug their fangs into him.

But the Centaur did not die; oh no. He was one of the few wardens in the Inferno that actually COULD NOT die. And as he forced himself up, his eyes blazed with hatred. Some filthy mortal wretch had dared attack HIM?! Oh, he would pay for that insult! He had been ordered to make sure none who entered this place left, and he was not going to fall down on the job now!

Taking careful aim, he hurled his knife at the boy as he scaled the cliffs, and watched with satisfaction as his aim was true…

Naruto froze as something hard struck his back with the force of one of Gai's punches. It wasn't enough to pierce the armor given to him by Kami, but it sure was enough to crack a few ribs and knock him lose from the wall. As he fell, he had to split his focus between healing his back and hooking his Kama onto the wall so he didn't hit the ground.

Turns out he could only do one.

The Kama blade didn't bury itself in deep enough, and with that one failure, he crashed into the cold hard ground. Groaning, he rolled over, channeling Kami's power through himself in an effort to heal his injured body.

Just as he managed to stand though, he felt something bite him in the ankle. Damn snakes…

Wait… why did everything look so blurry? Oh shit! What if that snake had been poisonous! Of course it was poisonous, that was just his luck wasn't it?! Oh Kami this couldn't be the end, not now after coming so far; to die because of a single snake bite would be the ultimate disgrace!

Naruto doubled over, his body burning from within like the noonday sun as the venom spread rapidly through his veins. His vision blurred, and his whole begin felt like it was melting, yet becoming smaller somehow…

Then, with a gasp, his eyes snapped open. He blinked, everything was weird… and their were snakes everywhere! Oh Kami they were moving all over him! He tried to brush them away, but realized he couldn't feel his arms or hands! Blinking, he looked down, and immediately screamed… which came out as a hiss.

His body had been changed into that of a medium sized snake with orange scales, with gold scales near the top of his head.

_"He he, tough luck kid"_ he heard, seeing a human suddenly appear immediately to his left _"But I guess that's hell for you."_ he finished as he took off running. Naruto followed, his body moving on instinct, while his brain tried to process what had happened.

He got his answer soon enough. With his eyes locked on the human who had appeared, he watched as the man was bitten after taking less then ten steps. He fell and as he did his body shifted into that of a snake, while the snake that bit him turned into a human female. Naruto did the best approximation of a gasp as he realized what he needed to do to get his body back: Bite another human.

This was the punishment of the seventh Bolgia; devoted to the thieves. As they had stolen from others in life, their very identity and humanity was subject to the same.

Doing his best to catch the human was tough though, as he was not used to his new snake body. He could move, but that was about it; and he was falling further and further behind. He was near the end of the pack of snakes when he considered simply stopping and waiting for the heard to come back around, but something in him said that was a bad idea.

This idea was compounded by the sound of flapping wings he heard in the distance. Turning his head slightly, he saw a humungous shadow on the walls of the Bolgia behind him. The shadow had large bat-like wings, but a distinctly reptilian head, similar to that of a dinosaur…

Naruto shook his head, decided it would be best to just try and catch up then let whatever was behind them catch HIM.

He ran-er-Slithered as quickly as he could, trying to catch one of the humans who appeared only for the briefest instant before turning back into snakes. It shouldn't be so hard, given that anytime a human disappeared, a new one would show up, but there were so many snakes all vying for a chance to be human that it seemed impossible to catch one. And even if he got his human form back, how long could he go without being bitten again?

No! He could not lose faith! He would not!

And as if in answer to his faith, a human appeared to his immediate left. Naruto jumped with all the reflexes a trained ninja should have a managed to plant a bite on the human's arm a split second before any of the other serpents could.

Once his fangs sank in, he felt his body begin to shift. As it did, he knew he wouldn't have long before the snakes were on him again. He'd have to act fast.

As his body assumed its natural state, he felt for his chakra and grabbed a hunk of it to throw into his technique, completely disregarding any form of control. Thankfully he still managed to conjure enough clones that he could use them as a springboard to leap into the air.

Though the clones were torn apart by the snakes, Naruto was able to make more in midair that tossed him to the wall, where he stuck to it with chakra. He climbed like the wall might rot beneath him.

Just as he was about to reach the top, he heard the flap of wings get very close, and felt heat beneath him. Looking down he saw a massive winged… thing that looked like a cross between a lizard and a bat glide beneath him, urging the snakes forward with gouts of fire that sprung from its mouth. It cast a glance upwards, and Naruto got the feeling it was scanning his soul to make sure he wasn't an escaping shade that might make a tasty snack.

Thankfully it seemed it was more concerned with its job then hunting a fresh meal and turned back to the snakes. With a sigh Naruto released the breath he didn't even know he'd been holding and finished his climb. At the top was nothing around but flat rock, with the only the snake ditch surrounding it.

But, there in the center of this bizarre island like structure was a man-sized hole, with a dark tunnel leading down. Naruto shrugged, figuring this was the best indication to the next Bolgia he was going to get.

He lapt down, hoping he wouldn't land on his bitten ankle.

_-Naruto In Hell-** Dark Fire, Hellfire. **_

Naruto blinked as he approached the large steel blast door. Weird; this was the first time he'd seen any actual barrier between one Bolgia and the next. What was on the other side? Stepping closer Naruto winced as he put weight on his ankle. Specifically the ankle that snake thief had chomped. Oddly, even though it should have healed by now, it was still incredibly sore.

Forming a Rasengan Naruto blew the door off its hinges, watching it fly into the darkness. Stepping forward, Naruto saw that there was no light at all here, and he could barely see a foot in front of his face. Stepping through the hole, Naruto was forced to use Kami's amulet like a flashlight to see, even though the holy light was only able to pierce about ten feet in front of him.

Hearing a creaking sound, Naruto instinctively ducked just as the large door he'd destroyed flew back at him. It passed harmlessly over him, and hit the passage it had been guarding. With an ominous sizzle and click, the door reattached itself, sealing Naruto in.

As Naruto turned away, he could already hear a sizzling crackling noise, like logs on a fire. Likely whoever occupied this Bolgia.

"Ya know what?" Naruto said to himself, even as he saw orange spots of light walking towards him "This circle blows. Every ditch is a new enemy I have to fight, each with their own backstory and weakness… what happened to good old fashioned fiends?" he asked no one, even as he ran to find the exit.

As he ran, he briefly pondered what exactly these guys had done to spend an eternity on fire… then stopped pondering because he had to leap over a massive wave of flames that the burning men had thrown at him.

These were the fraudulent advisers and evil counsellors. They had not given false advice, but instead used their position to advise others to engage in fraud. Now, as they once cloaked themselves in their positions of power, they would spend the rest of time cloaked in fire.

And clearly, they were not happy about it.

Leaping over a fireball, Naruto turned midair and returned fire with a blast from his amulet. The wave of holy energy struck the burning figure with such force that its flame went out, revealing the burnt husk of a shade beneath. Unlike other shades however, this one had a little something extra. Buried between the center of its chest and its stomach was a glowing red stone, which at the moment was barely lit. But before Naruto's eyes the stone flickered, then flared back into life, and with it came the flame that covered the shade.

Huh, neat trick. Aiming his other arm he fired a wall of Prayer Beads at the oncoming swarm of firry consultants, each one a sure hit on the jewel… Only to have the beads pass through them like a knife through water.

Naruto blinked, then hurled his Kama blade, electrified for added pain, at the specters. The same thing happened. Then he used his Gourd to summon a wall of knives to skewer them where they stood; same thing! What the hell?! These freaks could attack him but he couldn't hurt them?

Maybe… he tried to grab hold of them with the Mask, but felt himself pushed back with surprising force. Looks like even in death, the mind of a politician was something to be feared.

Okay… so he couldn't hurt them with his sword, his Beads, his Gourd, or his Mask. But he'd seen the amulet work so…

Quickly he released a blast of energy that hit several phantoms, snuffing out their flames and freezing them in place. Then, he released an even more powerful blast, expecting that to do the trick. It did not. All it did was knock the light out of their jewels. Naruto growled in frustration, and fired a bead at the stupid red thing.

To his surprise, it broke the jewel with a sound like shattering glass, and flew out the fiends back. A split second later, the fiend burst into ashes.

Naruto blinked. Oh…. OH! A feral grin grew on his face. Now that made sense (even if it was a little gimmicky), and now these freaks were gonna know why it was wrong to mess with him!

He glanced left and right, making sure he had plenty of space. He summoned a bubble of holy energy around him and charged the mass of burning shades. Wherever the flames licked at the shield, they turned blue and rebounded on the shades, snuffing out the flames. But there were so many, with more coming all the time, and Naruto couldn't get them all…

Well, that wasn't entirely true, he just couldn't get them all with this method. Once he had determined he reached the center of the scalding mass, he deactivated his shield. A split second before the fires closed in on him, he released a powerful, widespread pulse of pure holy energy that spread over the vast crowd like a wave. Everything the light touched froze as the flames around him were doused.

But that was only phase one. Phase two was going to be much less pleasant. While all around him the shades stood frozen in place, he reached down to his belt and grabbed the weapon that he could honestly say was his least favorite. Gripping the Tanto firmly, he charged as much energy as he could in the time he had, carefully lining up the strike. Then, clenching his eyes shut, he stabbed himself right where; had he been a shade, his jewel would be.

The pain was unbelievable; but effective. As his eyes flew wide from the mystical pain that laced through him, he saw the pulse that flew out and encompassed nearly all the shades in his vision. Then, with a sound like a hundred mirrors breaking, each jewel broke; and every last shade only had time for a sharp intake of breathe before they turned to dust.

Naruto sunk to his knees, rubbing his chest wound, and pressing the amulet to it. It was healing it well enough, but the magic of the Tanto made the pain stick around. From the corner of his eye he could see a few Advisors hanging back, looking unsure of what to do next. Forcing himself to his feet, Naruto raised the Tanto as if to stab himself again (as if!). Seeing this, the Advisors turned and fled. They knew when it was time to cut their losses; they were former politicians after all.

Naruto smirked, then walked the opposite direction. Now that he'd scared the population of this Bolgia, he could take his time finding the exit. Which was good, because he really wanted this wound to heal first.

_-Naruto In Hell-_

Naruto's dark tunnel was interrupted by a by now familiar reddish glow. There before him stood Kyubi, who was casting weary glances all around her, as though expecting something to leap out at her from the darkness at any time.

"Kyubi?!" he practically yelled, making Kyubi jump as her eyes focused on him. Before Naruto could think about that, he was overcome with anger "Where the HELL have you been!" he shouted stomping closer to her "I haven't seen you in hours! I thought you were supposed to be helping me!"

Kyubi's eyes narrowed _"I have done the best I can to fulfill the orders given to me brat. I have told you things about the inferno that no other living mortal knows."_ she shuddered, and her whole body seemed to flicker like a candle in the wind _"But I cannot bare to linger this far down in the void… I… I do not know how much longer I can help you."_ she gave a shuddering breath "_I know I must get you to the ninth circle, and I will… but you are not exactly moving quickly!"_ she bite out.

Naruto's brow ticked in annoyance "Well maybe I would move faster if you would tell me what was coming! That way, I could, you know, prepare for it!" he pointed out.

Kyubi's body tensed, and she looked down the path Naruto would have to proceed down_ "Down that path weep the Sowers of Discord, and beyond them the Falsifiers beg for death"_ she said, her words once more mysterious and somewhat unhelpful. She turned to face Naruto once more _"In the next Bolgia you will find several guardians who hack at the sinners; they cannot be killed by any weapon you possess." _she warned. _"They possess magic far beyond that of normal demons, and their madness is not something you do not want focused on you."_

Naruto's eyes went wide "Then how am I supposed to beat them?" this was bad; he'd only gotten through before because of his ability to hack and slash his way through any obstacle.

Kyubi was about to answer, when the whole circle suddenly shook…

_-Naruto In Hell-_

_'So close now… ever so close…'_ these were the only things passing through Zetsu's mind as he was forced to grow larger and larger. It hurt him… it hurt him a lot, passing through all the various tortures of the various levels of hell. How had the Uzumaki boy done it?

He had just finished growing through the various cogs and gears of the Fourth Circle and was just about to-

**BOOM!**

There, he'd broke through to the Circle of Gluttony. He saw the surprised looks the Cerberus worms were giving him, but he could not stop. No matter how much he wanted to, he could not stop for anything. Even though he was so hungry, and so tired, and in so, so much pain.

But it would be okay… he was almost there… almost there…

_-Naruto In Hell-_

"What the heck was that!" Naruto said, holding his sword in alarm.

Kyubi waved her hand, dismissing his concerns _"Likely nothing. Probably just some demon getting over zealous in their work. They will not bother you. You are not their property"_ she said.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Kyubi's lack of concern, but didn't call her on it. "That never seems to stop any of the other demons around here" Naruto commented with a raised eyebrow.

Kyubi snorted _"True, but I assure you that these demons will ignore you. They are highly magical, and quite insane, but they tend to stick to their work, such as it is. You have nothing to fear from them… so long as you do not draw their ire."_ Naruto blinked, surprised he'd gotten an actual warning.

"So… what exactly will 'draw their ire'?" he asked. Kyubi just smirked, then vanished in a puff of smoke, the last thing to vanish was her cheshire cat like smirk…

Naruto frowned, before making his way down the tunnel. Despite Kyubi's warning, something in the pit of his stomach told him this wasn't going to get any easier…

_-Naruto In Hell-** Wrecking Havoc**_

It was, in a word, pandemonium.

The ninth Bolgia was like some sort of open air pavilion, with all the various souls running about in a blind panic. It wasn't hard to see why though, as demons ran amok with glee, their weapons stained red with the blood of the tortured. And every time one of the shades was hacked to pieces, they'd just get back up and start running again.

Overhead, chimeras flew through the sky, occasionally swooping down to snatch up a shade and viciously torture it with their bare hands (though in one case, that was bear hands).

Using all the stealth available to him, Naruto crept across the the battlefield; constantly ducking behind rubble or dashing past fights. Whenever he was spotted by a demon, a quick headshot with his Golden Beads was usually enough to silence them.

He'd just made it to the center of the madness, with battles going on on all sides when he heard **"WelL wEll WhaT have WE hErE?" **a deep, amused sounding voice asked. Looking up, Naruto saw two chimera's lying on the air like it was solid ground looking down at him.

The one on the left had the head of a dog, but the eyes of a cat. It's mouth was shaped like the maw of a spider, with poison soaked mandibles poking out as the creature grinned. The whole of its body was long and serpentine like, covered in fish scales ending with a monkey's tail. The left arm was a tentacle, similar to that of an octopus; while the right arm was like that of a scorpion. The right leg looked like a bear's leg, while the other bore a striking resemblance to a kangaroo. On its back it had two wings that were keeping it aloft, one belonging to a dove, the other to a pterodactyl.

The second had the head of a goat, with two twisted looking horns coming out of its forehead, and vicious snake fangs in its mouth. It's eyes were gold and red, and burned with insane glee that would kill a lesser man of fright. Like its companion it had a snake like body, but coated with sleek brown fur and a tail like a lizard. It's left arm was an eagle's talon, while the left was a lion's paw; and both had claws that looked razor sharp. It's right leg looked like a raptor's, while the left was a horse's. On its back were a bat and bird wing, which flapped lazily.

Naruto cleared his throat, determined not to show fear. Kyubi had said they would have no interest in him, so he just needed to not insult them, and he could pass. "I'm not looking for trouble…" he said cautiously "I'm just passing through." he gave a nervous smile. The two chimera just shared a look; and something told Naruto they weren't buying it.

"I don't really belong here you see" he explained, holding up Kami's amulet, and letting a trickle of its power shine out. "I'm on a mission from Kami."

**"reALLy?" **the spider-eyed chimera said, each eye blinking in turn **"You Don'T sAy?" **it turned to its companion.

Naruto just nodded, a bit of confidence returning "Yes, I'm telling you the truth. Now please, let me pass."

**"Hmmm… he's got a point." **The one with the goat's head said, scratching his chin with his lion's paw. Then his lip twitched into an unpleasant looking smirk **"Allow me to counter with a point of my own**" he said, before waving his hand in Naruto's direction.

As soon as he did, the air rippled as a wall of blades flew down at him with such speed Naruto barely had time to form a barrier to block them. "Hey!" he cried as the blades sank into his bubble "What's the deal! I thought you were gonna let me pass!"

The goat's head let out a bleating laugh as it hefted a boulder with its eagle talon, tossing it with ease, where it landed on top of the already fragile barrier. **"Yes, yes you did." **he said,rolling his eyes in two separate directions. **"But you see…" **he leaned down to look at Naruto **"We don't care." **he laughed at Naruto's stunned expression **"So what if you're a pure soul? That'll just make killing you all the more entertaining!" **he giggled insanely.

Naruto could hardly believe what he was hearing! This wasn't how this was supposed to go! Kyubi had said that they wouldn't-

That thought was cut off when the cat-headed Chimera lashed out with its scorpion claw, the the clamper putting more stress on the barrier then it could take, making it shatter into a thousand pieces. Naruto had to dodge to avoid being crushed by the boulder that came tumbling down.

The claw came at him again, but by now Naruto was ready. He may not be diplomatic, but he could sure as hell fight. Popping the cork on his Gourd, he let a stream of lava flow out, coating the pincer in boiling liquid rock.

The Chimera fell back screaming in agony as the lava burned at its skin. Were it not immortal, the shock of the pain might have made its heart give out.

But Naruto didn't stop to admire his handy work. If these things couldn't die, then the only thing he could do was try and get out of here as fast as possible.

The goat headed chimera was to fast though, and landed right in front of Naruto and tried to sweep his feet out from under him with its tail. Naruto leapt over it, then fired a blast of holy energy at it, but it slithered like a snake out of the way.

It leapt at him, fangs bared, venom dripping from its fangs, but Naruto raised his cestus in defense. His confidence was not misplaced, because even as the chimera latched onto his arm, it was the creature's teeth that chipped, not his arm.

But the creatures eyes gleamed and it didn't seem to be in that much pain. Quickly, it wrapped its body around him and flew into the air in an arch eerily similar to a move Lee had been fond of performing in life.

Thinking quickly, Naruto coated his body in electricity, causing his captor's body to let go of him in reflex. Though Naruto struck the ground hard, he was able to rebound and get back on his feet just as quickly.

Until webbing wrapped around his feet that is. He was flung by the second chimera into a wall, its eyes blazing with fury. Before Naruto could dodge, it slammed its tentacle into his face, pressing hard and trying to smother him.

Naruto set his Kama blade alight, and sliced upwards through the tentacle, leaving the chimera with one bloody stump and one burnt limb. Even if they would heal eventually, the creature had obviously had enough and fled, leaving Naruto with only one of the things to deal with.

Wait a second… where was the other one?

**"SURPRISE!" **the creature shouted, grabbing Naruto by the back of the head and hurling him through a stone pillar. Even before Naruto stopped, the creature had caught up to him and slammed its foot on his face, breaking his nose. Naruto sent his Kama blade slashing upwards, but the most he managed was a nicked chin and slicing its goat beard off. He tried to punch it in the knee, but it vanished into smoke before he made contact.

Naruto growled, feeling anger bubbling up inside him. Forming a Rasengan he waited until… there!

At the first sound of movement behind him, he fired the Rasengan like a missile. But as soon as it left his hand, he saw that instead of a Chimera, it was just more of the shades trying to flee their fate. The Rasengan struck the ground in front of them, exploding in dome of chakra, reducing the shades to a fine pink mist.

Naruto blinked… that felt so… satisfying. Turning, he fired several Golden Beads at passing shades, snickering when their bodies twitched and spasmed as they dropped to the ground. He made his Ninjato blade stretch as he swung it in a wide arch, watching as the steel cut down all in its path. It was wonderful to watch. These pathetic little shades, running around… no power at all, nothing to stop him as he blasted them left and right with every weapon in his arsenal. Why, he could take over this whole Bolgia and no one could stop him! He'd never have to leave! And why should he leave? This was so much more fun!

Wait… that didn't sound right…

Look at the flames dance, look at the lightning crackle! Explosions everywhere!

Wasn't he… wasn't he supposed to be doing something?

Run little shades! Run from your master! None can stop me! Behold my power and tremble!

Naruto narrowed his eyes… something… was… wrong!

Raising his amulet (the only weapon he hadn't used in his 'fun') he bathed the whole area in divine light, letting wash over every shade and chimera in the Bolgia.

Hearing a slight hissing noise he turned and stabbed at the space just behind his head. He was rewarded with a yelp of pain as the goat-headed chimera reappeared. It frowned at him, even as its wound healed up.

**"That's cheating." **it grumbled. Then it tilted its head, as though hearing something Naruto could not. **"Ah, I guess that's all the fun we have time for today my little… friend." **he grinned, creeping Naruto out **"Now why don't you run along now. Some of us have work to do." **he stated in a matter-of-fact tone, before backhanding Naruto hard enough to send him flying.

Naruto hit the ground hard, but retained consciousness. Shaking the stars from his eyes, he quickly healed himself and stood. He was about to go give that damned chimera a piece of his mind, when he felt the amulet grow warm in his hand. Looking at it, he felt a certain… pull towards the border of the Bolgia. As soon as he reached the rock, he placed the talisman against it. There, with a hiss and a click, part of the wall melted away, revealing a secret tunnel. Naruto smiled down at the amulet. Kami be praised.

With that thought, he started down the very long flight of stairs…

_-Naruto In Hell-** You guys again?**_

Naruto heaved as he desperately sought to catch his breath. Good lord that was a lot of stairs. But at least they had given him time to heal, and time to think.

Hadn't Kyubi explicated stated he wouldn't have to worry about the guardians of the Bolgia? How could she have made such a massive mistake! The next time he saw her, he was gonna sock her right in the kisser!

_**"Hello… is someone there…" **_a voice called out in the darkness. Naruto stopped his internal ranting and turned to face the voice. It was right in his path so he couldn't avoid it if it was another trap. Cautiously he stepped forward.

_"Please… help us…" _another voice, this one lighter and more feminine called out. Naruto frowned, Amulet ready. Either this was another trap, or there really were two shades ahead that needed his help. If that was the case, then it was his duty to aid them. Taking a deep breath, he used the amulet like a flashlight to illuminate the path ahead.

Before him was the smashed skull of Charon. Amazingly, the severed head was still alive! It was cracked and broken from the long fall, but Naruto could see and hear its ragged breathing. And right beside the face of the aged ferryman, was Konan. She didn't look much better, and her face was just as bruised as Charon's. Her body was ragged and half formed, and large quantities of paper would slide to the floor with every move she made.

Both went silent as the light fell on them. Naruto watched as the hope in Konan's eyes turn to fear, as she moved away from him, pressing herself against Charon's rocky flesh in an attempt to stay as far away from him as possible.

_"No! Not you! Please, not again!" _Konan sobbed with fear.

_**"Haven't you done enough?!" **_Charon growled _**"Have you come to make sure you finished the job?" **_further questions were cut off when Charon descended into a coughing fit that kept him from speaking.

Naruto was surprised at the animosity they showed him, but he guessed it made sense. He had torn off Charon's head… and then chucked the two of them into the abyss without a second thought. Thinking back, he may have overreacted.

Looking back, Charon wasn't really guilty of any crime besides trying to slow him down, something Naruto wasn't going to stand for. But Naruto remembered Charon asking him to move aside… guy was just trying to do his job.

As for Konan… she had tried to kill him! But, she was angry about what had happened up on earth. When she had been alive, she had never been outright hostile towards him… often. Aw geez…

"Um…" he started sheepishly "Do you two need some help?" he asked.

Konan glared _"From you?! Haven't you helped enough?!" _

Naruto winced at that "Look, you were trying to kill me! I reacted pretty well given the situation I think!" he retorted "I was asking if you would like me to absolve the two of you now. I really don't want another fight, and it's clear to me you two have suffered more then enough." he gave his best charming smile, and reached out a hand towards Konan "So what do you say? Why not let me take you out of this horrible place?"

Konan looked pensive, and looked at Charon for advice. Charon was busy looking at Naruto's eyes, as though reading his very soul. Hell, maybe that was what he was doing. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity they nodded with each other, seeming to come to a consensus.

But just as Konan opened her mouth to deliver the verdict, Naruto felt himself get lifted off his feet, and was slammed into the wall. Both Konan and Charon started at this, as Naruto was suddenly slammed into and through the opposite wall, being pulled headlong into the tenth and final Bolgia.

Naruto's head rung like a bell as he flew through the air. He only stopped flying when his face collided with something that felt suspiciously like a fist punching him in the face. His body flipped and fell to the ground with a hard thud, knocking the air out of him.

_**"Hello again Uzumaki" **_came the voice of his attacker, but Naruto couldn't get a good look at them since his vision was still catching up with the blows. However, from the voice, he had a pretty good idea.

"Na-Nagato?" he said, trying to push himself up.

_**"Please Naruto… my name is, and always will be… Pein." **_

"Aw crud…"

_-Naruto In Hell-** To battle the man who would be god**_

Naruto wasn't going to let Pein get the drop on him again, so he whipped out his Gourd and unleashed a wall of katanas at him. As the blades of steel flew at the former Akatsuki leader, Naruto was running through any attack plan he could use that would work against him.

Before he could come up with anything solid, Pein raised his hand and and sent a wave of force that knocked the swords away, sending them falling (relatively) harmlessly around to bury themselves in the ground.

But Pein wasn't done yet; as the raised hand suddenly morphed into a multi-barreled Gatling Gun similar to something another one of his bodies might have used. As the barrels began to spin Naruto had only a split second to raise a shield before he was suddenly pelted by balls of metal; which thankfully pinged off the surface of his shield like raindrops.

Not wanting to stay on the defensive, Naruto aimed his Ninjato and watched it shoot forward like a spear, the blade crackling with electricity. Pein tried to move but he still got a slight scratch, the lightning making him twitch awkwardly and stumble. Naruto took that as a chance to blast a nearly house sized ball of holy energy at him.

Pein counted by slapping both hands on the ground, summoning the Gates of Rashouman. The Demonic Gates groaned and buckled under the holy assault, the divine power of Kami rusting away the supposedly impenetrable defense. Still, it was enough time for Pein to get his bearings, and by the time the blast had died down he had slapped the ground again and summoned a pack of Demons.

Naruto quickly opened fire with his Prayer Beads, but most of the demons raised shields to deflect them; with only one dying thanks to a headshot. They charged, and Naruto spun in place, letting the full length of his Kama chain flare out, the blade burning like a comet. He ducked low, allowing the blade to sweep his enemies off their feet; by completely taking off their feet.

Naruto would have finished them, but was forced at the last second to dodge a boulder thrown by Pein, which still managed to clip his side, sending him spinning to the ground. He felt himself being pulled towards Pein, and saw the would be god produce a black sword similar to the ones he'd used in life. He made to stab Naruto but the blonde threw up a shield at the last second. It shattered on impact, but then so did the sword.

Naruto lashed out with a kick that struck Pein in the gut, making him double over. But Pein grabbed hold of the leg and used his other hand to slap Naruto on the side of the head. When he did, he used the powers of the Human Path to infiltrate Naruto's mind and attack it from within. Even though it was only for a second, it was still enough to send Naruto reeling.

As Naruto struggled to organize his thoughts, Pein blasted him backwards with the full force of the Deva Path, slamming Naruto into a wall so hard, that Naruto blacked out for a second. As he tried to push himself off, Pein grabbed his throat and slammed him back again.

Naruto growled, it had been a while since he'd had a fight like this. Grabbing the Tanto from his belt he stabbed Pein in the gut and twisted the knife, briefly relishing in the grunt of pain he got. Then, once he was sure a connection had been made, he pulled back on the blade, intending to tear out the rinnegan user's soul.

Pein must have realized what was going on, because for the first time since the fight started, he got a panicked look on his face. Grabbing a fist full of Naruto's hair, Naruto felt like something was digging around inside him, before Pein started to pull back, taking something transparent with him: Naruto's own soul.

Naruto couldn't believe he'd forgotten about that power! He pulled harder on his Tanto, which made Pein pull harder on the soul in his hand. But as both resisted, neither could form the strength to tear out the opposing soul.

Deciding to take a page out his opponents playbook, Naruto locked eyes with Pein and dove into his mind with the Golden Mask, and channeled all the fear and loathing he could into the man's mind.

The pseudo-god reeled and let go of Naruto's soul. But before Naruto could complete his deed Pein let loose another repulsion blast and blew himself away from Naruto and the knife, leaving his soul intact.

Naruto fired off several holy blasts, hoping to inure Pein while he was stunned, but it wasn't to be. Pein just glared at the oncoming projectiles and held out his hand. The energy seemed to warp and twist before being sucked into Pein, courtesy of the Preta Path. However, it looked like Kami's power didn't sit well with Pein, as the hand he'd used was burned slightly.

Forming a signature cross signature sign Naruto summoned a horde of clones to swarm both Pein and the few demons who were crawling about. While they dealt with that, Naruto snuck around to flank him.

But the clones didn't last long. With a glare, Pein's forehead opened slightly and released a veritable death ray of chakra that flash fried everything in its path, clone or demon. But as the smoke cleared and he saw no body, Pein knew he had been deceived.

Turning at the sound of a battle cry he saw a massive wave of holy chakra coming towards him. Grimacing slightly, Pein none the less raised his hands to absorb the chakra. Seems the boy planned to take him down by inches. It wouldn't work.

However… that was not Naruto's plan. Just as he was absorbing the last of the Holy Chakra a dozen golden objects came hurtling towards him. Pein's eyes widened; because they were not chakra, he could not absorb them, and because he was in the process of taking in this chakra, he could not repel the beads.

This was rammed home as the twelve beads slammed into him, a few even managing to tear right through him. The two that struck his knees were especially painful, and brought him to a kneeling position.

The boy ran at him, but Pein would not perish again! When the fool was in range, he channeled the power of the Asura path into his hands, the skin morphing away into a nozzle; which released a gout of flame guaranteed to burn the skin from his bones. Sadly the boy's reflexes were better then expected, and he rolled to the side just in time to only get a bit of burnt hair.

Naruto rolled out of the way of flames and leapt at Pein, who grabbed his black sword and swung upwards to meet him. The two blades rang out like a struck bell, as did the next blow, and the next.

Pein went in for a stab, which Naruto sidestepped. Naruto grabbed the chain on his sword and slashed with the Kama, but Pein leaned backwards and the sickle went harmlessly by. Pein raised his hand just as Naruto's grabbed the Gourd from his belt. Pein opened that hand just as Naruto said three words as fast as he could.

"I fear light."

The arena was filled with a blinding light, forcing Pein to slam his lids shut with a cry of agony. That didn't stop him from blasting Naruto across the room though, where he collided with the wall with a meaty thwack.

Pein stumbled around, desperately trying to rub the spots from his eyes, but everything was still a blur to him. He heard the sound of footsteps coming from behind him and turned, sword raised. He used his ability to attract objects to bring the boy close to him, and was rewarded with a shocked gasp as the body was impaled on his sword.

He grinned viciously _**"I… win…"**_ he said, his breath ragged._** "You should have known… that you can never beat a God!"**_ he roared, grabbing the boys throat and squeezing, wondering if the boy would bleed out or if his neck would snap first.

And then he heard a chuckling… his vision, finally clearing up revealed the boy was grinning like he'd just won the lottery. "How about tricking a god instead?" a voice from behind him asked. Pein's eyes widened as he realized the deception: A clone packed with extra chakra meant to resist heavy damage!

The clone grinned and raised its Gourd "I fear explosions." he said simply, the Gourd already glowing.

Even as the clone disappeared, the explosion was already set. And due to the disruption of chakra and magic brought by the clones death, the blast was all the more unstable.

**BOOM!**

The blast kicked up a cloud of debris which obscured everything around. Then, slowly, a figure shambled out of the dust. It was Pein, blood running down his face, and most of his hair gone. One hand was missing, and all visible skin left was charred. And boy, was he mad.

_**"UZUMAKI!"**_ he roared, doing his best to draw all his power to his still working hand. He would show that brat what it meant to battle God! He would turn the entire Eighth Circle into a moon, and crush that blonde headed moron with it! He would not be defeated! He was the God of the Eighth Circle! No! The entire Inferno would be his Kingdom!

But before the insane wanna-be god could make good on his plans, he found himself bound in chains. As the rest of the dust settled he saw he was surrounded by five Narutos, each one having wrapped him in a layer of chains. He tried to summon enough power to shove them off, but two of the swords stretched out and impaled him, forcing him to bite his tongue to hold back a scream.

A scream which he couldn't hold in as the five clones electrified the chains. After the explosion and the impalement this was definitely the most agonizing thing to happen to him today. He tried to struggle, lash out somehow, but nothing he did worked.

Naruto watched as Pein writhed about, and knew it was time to end this. Running past his clones who were keeping up the charge he raised his amulet, the power of Kami flowing through it. The last thing Pein would see would be the glowing light of Kami's grace.

Then he was struck in the head by Naruto, and the power entered into him, destroying Pein once and for all, leaving only Nagato behind. With a flash of light, the the process was completed, and the clones were dismissed. Nagato's hair grew back, as did his hand and skin. The stab wounds and broken bones knit themselves back together, leaving Nagato healthier then before.

His eyes slowly flickered open, the traces of insanity that had been in the concentric circles before now gone. _"Wha… what happened?" _he asked, pressing his hands to his head.

_"Nagato! You're you again!"_ a voice cried, before a graceful female form swooped down and captured Nagato in a hug. Konan held him tightly, her eyes freely spilling tears. _"I'd thought I'd lost you! I thought I'd never see you again!"_ she cried, her body no longer able to contain the torrent of emotions she'd felt since her death.

Nagato blinked and rubbed Konan's back _"There… there…"_ he said, looking at Naruto for help, who just shrugged in response.

After letting the two get reacquainted Naruto informed them that he could send them onward to a more pleasurable afterlife.

_"I'm… not sure."_ said Nagato, oddly reluctant _"After all we've done, do we really deserve anything better?"_ he asked.

Naruto searched his mind for an answer, finally saying "Well… if you really feel that way, then look at it like this: You can use this opportunity to redeem yourself, and maybe do some real good from now on. I'm sure Kami would be more then happy to have some help." he said, shooting off a winning smile.

Nagato and Konan shared a look. In the look, a whole conversation passed, one which Naruto was not privy too. Finally, they looked back at him _"We'll take it."_ they said together.

"Cool." Naruto said, before remembering something important. "Just hold on one sec!" he turned and ran back to where Konan had been hiding.

There, the head of Charon lay alone. Upon spotting Naruto, the head raised a single eyebrow in askance "I beat Nagato, and now him and Konan are being sent to Kami." he explained "Would you like to come along?" Charon opened his mouth, likely to argue, but Naruto cut him off "You've been doing this job for a long time… I'm sure hell can learn to get along without you. You deserve to rest now, don't you think?" The ferryman closed his mouth, seeming to think it over. Finally he nodded, making Naruto grin.

When Naruto returned to the anxious Nagato and Konan, he brought with him an impossibly old looking man. He stood taller then either Nagato or Naruto, and had a beard that nearly went to his knees. This was Charon, in the human form he had possessed eons ago when he'd first taken up the position.

Getting Charon to stand next to the others, Naruto asked if everyone was ready. Getting a round of nods, Naruto opened the portal of redemption.

Charon cast one last look at the boy "You truly are a remarkable child, young Uzumaki. I will remember this day, and know that Charon does not take his debts likely." he said with great severity before disappearing.

Konan just offered one last thank you before following stepping back for Nagato to have his say. The only other apprentice of Jiraiya gave a long look at his defeater "I never really stood a chance." he said quietly "It's so obvious, in retrospect." Naruto raised an eyebrow, not sure where this was going. Nagato chuckled "Never give up Naruto, you are the one. If anyone can accomplish this, it was always going to be you." he said. Then, taking Konan's hand in his, he stepped through the portal and vanished, leaving Naruto alone once more.

Once they were gone, Naruto's shoulders slumped. He was exhausted! He sincerely hoped this circle was over soon. He really needed to rest!

_-Naruto In Hell-** A surprise**_

Naruto stumbled, finally feeling the exhaustion he'd been putting off after taking on everything that had been thrown at him recently. But up ahead… oh it was worth it! There before him stood the door that lead from the circle of Fraud to the Ninth and final circle! He was so close… he was almost done with his mission!

Nearly collapsing against the door, Naruto was struck by how cold it was. Even the faintest hint of a breeze that whispered through the crack in the door was enough to chill him to the bone. What exactly lay on the other side…?

Pressing himself against it, Naruto pushed with all his might to move it forward. With a great heave, the door slowly scrapped forward, the rusty hinges screeching as ages of rust cracked and fell.

With one final heave, Naruto forced his way through the door, and was immediately blinded by a heavenly white light. He felt once again as though he was standing in the presence of Kami, but that couldn't be right… could it?

The angel (a pure one this time, not like the Tenshi from the upper circles) floated down on pure white wings. It was decked out in white from head to toe, the only splash of color being its oddly orange hair… huh. As it landed the light dimmed somewhat, allowing Naruto to see it was actually a man.

**"Naruto." **he spoke, power in his voice **"You have served Lady Kami well. She has watched your progress with great pleasure and attention." **he grinned at Naruto, and suddenly Naruto felt bashful to know his deeds were being personality monitored by Kami herself. The angel's smile turned into a frown **"And it is because she cares for you that she has sent me with a message. Long have I tried to reach you, but the forces of evil have been rather adapt at keeping me at bay." **Now it was Naruto's turn to frown. What would warrant a personal message from one of Kami's angels?

The angel must have read his face, because he stepped forward, raising his hand, and placed it on Naruto's head **"Close your eyes Naruto Uzumaki and know… the truth." **

**End Chapter 9**

_-Naruto In Hell-_

**Limbo: **Konan

Rock Lee (absolved)

Hinata (absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

**Homura (Absolved)

**Kaiza (Absolved)

**Hanabi (Absolved)

**Lust: **Ino (Absolved)

Jiraiya (Absolved)

Orochimaru (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

**Ebisu (Absolved)

**Anko (Absolved)

**Mei Terumi (Absolved)

**Gluttony: **Choji (Absolved)

Zetsu (Punished?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Jirobou (Punished)_

_**Koharu (Punished) _

**Greed: **Kakuzu (Punished)

Shino (Absolved)

Tsunade (?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Taki (Absolved) _

_**Gato (?)_

_**Shizune (Absolved) _

**Anger: **Temari (Absolved)

Shikamaru (Absolved)

Kiba & Akamaru (Absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Tayuya (Absolved) _

_**Kin Tsuchi (Absolved) _

_**Doto Kazahana (Punished) _

**Heresy: **Tenten (Absolved)

Hidan (Punished)

Neji (Absolved)

Sasori (?)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Third Kazekage (Undecided)_

_**Dosu (Punished)_

_**Amachi (Punished)_

**Violence: **Kisame Hoshigaki (Punished)

Suigetsu Hozuki (Punished)

Sakura Haruno (Absolved)

Kankuro (Absolved)

Deidara (Punished)

Gaara (Absolved)

All The Other Jinchuriki (Absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Zabuza Momochi (Absolved) _

_**Gato (Punished) _

_**Sakumo Hatake (Absolved) _

_**Kakashi Hatake (Absolved) _

_**Haido (Punished)_

_**Granny Chiyo (Absolved) _

**Fraud:**

Sai (Absolved)

Nagato (Absolved)

_Lost Souls: _

_**Konan (Absolved) _

_** Charon (Absolved)  
_

**Treachery:**

**People still in Hell: Itachi, Sasori, Orochimaru, Zetsu, Sasuke, Tsunade**

**And there you have it people, that was Fraud. Was it worth the wait? I hope so. It took a long time to come up with a monster for each Bolgia, and to make the Sai and Pein fights acceptable, but ultimately I'd like to think I did an okay job. There aren't as many big boss battles in this one, but I don't think the chapter suffers for it. If anything else it's still likely to be better then the level in the game.  
**

**Also, as you all saw, I listened to your votes and as you can see Nagato and Konan have been released from hell (Charon to, but no one voted on him). Seems everyone wanted to give them some forgiveness. That still leaves me with two questions though:  
**

**Is Itachi really evil, and if he isn't does he deserve redemption?  
**

**What should happen to Sasuke?  
**

**That's right you have one final chance to cast a vote: What should happen to these Uchihas!  
**

**If you thought this chapter was good; please say so in a review. If not, I'm sorry to hear that. You may leave some constructive critiques if you like, but do avoid flames please.  
**

**It's almost over guys. Next Chapter will be the last chapter; unless I decide to do an Epilogue, where everything comes to a head. I hope you've enjoyed the ride, and I hope you'll stick around to enjoy it a little bit longer (Hopefully it won't take me nine months to write this next one). So before I close out this 18,520 word long chapter, let me leave you with one last preview of what's to come:  
**

And so, after many harrowing trials, Naruto emerges from the Circle of Fraud victorious! Though he faced many dangers in each of the Bolgias, he has conquered them all, and now readies himself to move on to a greater challenge. Nearly all his precious people have been saved, yet still many questions remain; questions with dangerous answers.

Next Time: Oh Naruto, you should feel so proud! You have traveled long and far to reach your destination. You have faced horrors and monstrosities beyond human imaginings, and come out the other side whole. But now your epic tale nears its end, as you near the final circle of hell. Questions will be answered, plots will be revealed, and you... you Naruto will have the fight of your life as you enter the realm of the Traitors! You must brave the icy wastelands to battle the slayer of kin. Face betrayal from those closest to you; and endure. All this, before facing your final challenge: You shall face he who would betray Kami herself. And when you look into the eyes of ultimate evil... when you learn the truth behind the lies... you will face a choice. And you will know what you must do. Be warned Naruto! If you fail; if you die... then you have doomed us all.

**Until Next Time...  
**


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